Huge Inflatable Tubes Will Keep Subways Dry During Future Floods

The next time a massive storm rolls into a U.S. metropolis, massive inflatable tubes could protect the city's subway system from floodwater.

The tubes are made out of a strong material that looks like interwoven seat belts, according to Dave Cadogan, director of engineering for International Latex Corporation Dover. When it inflates, the giant tube will rub against subway walls like an inner lining, and the pressure from the air inside of it will prevent water from bursting through the concrete.

What Cadogan's company has built may sound goofy, but it could prevent another Hurricane Sandy from causing billions of dollars in subway damage. Read more...