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Tire Science & Trivia
Tires are one of the most quietly sophisticated objects most people own — a chemistry problem, a physics problem and a manufacturing problem all rolled into a black ring. These pieces explain how they actually work.
Materials · 9 min
Why Are Tires Black?
They were originally white. A 1910 filler discovery made them black, multiplied tread life several-fold, and quietly became the reason your tires survive sunlight, heat and ozone.
Physics · 11 minThe Science of Winter Tires
Why 45°F is the switching point, what a sipe does at the contact patch, why snow grips snow better than rubber does, and what the 3PMSF symbol really certifies.
Coming soon
More explainers in progress
How vulcanisation works, the physics of hydroplaning, why racing slicks are illegal on the road, the recycling of end-of-life tires into crumb rubber, and the 6PPD salmon story in full.