Drink cans are a development of the food tin. At first people had to make a hole in the top of the can themselves to get the drink out. The invention of the ring pull on top of the can in 1962 made them just as easy to drink from as bottles. They soon became more popular because they are cheaper, lighter and stronger than bottles.

Over the last 20 years, drink cans have changed quite a lot. The ring pulls used to come right off the top of the can. This was a problem because people would drop them on the floor after they had opened their drink, littering the streets. The edges of the ring pull could be sharp and dangerous, and they were small and difficult to sweep up.

Ring pulls today are attached to the cans to prevent them being dropped on the floor as litter. The hole in the top of the can is also a different, wider shape, making it easier to drink out of.

The most important thing about modern cans is that they are made of aluminium. This is a type of metal that is easy to recycle. Billions of cans are produced each year, and it is important not to waste the metal they are made of.