Deep in the Amazon rainforest, the Indians once discovered a kind of "weeping tree" - as long as the bark was cut, the milky white SAP would drip like tears. This magical liquid is precisely the source of natural rubber. In 1876, 22 rubber saplings crossed the ocean from Brazil to Southeast Asia. Under the hard work and sweat of Chinese laborers, this land now contributes 90% of the world's natural rubber.
The transformation of rubber began in 1844 when the American Goodyear invented vulcanization technology, which turned rubber from the "strange tree SAP" that became sticky when heated into a tough and durable industrial material. Today, from car tires to space shuttle seals, from medical gloves to smart wearable devices, more than 70,000 kinds of products rely on this elastic material. Chinese scientists have further broken through the technological blockade and developed bionic synthetic rubber, which has increased the lifespan of aviation tires by 35% and completely broken the foreign monopoly.
Amid the wave of environmental protection, rubber has demonstrated its circular charm: In 2023, China's output of recycled rubber reached 4.9 million tons. Waste tires, after processing, can be made into running tracks, waterproof materials, and even components for new energy batteries. This "black gold" is continuing to run on the track of sustainable development in a brand-new form, connecting tropical rainforests with industrial civilization.