Wednesday, June 5, 2013

So...

...we have the most advanced technology in the history of the world, right?

Maybe in some areas, but those Romans weren't stupid. They were the absolute masters of one particular art: Making concrete.

Their concrete was far more durable than any we make today. There's a 2,000 year old breakwater under the Med that's still in decent condition. On top of that, making concrete is responsible for 7% of industrial carbon dioxide.

I'm not going to go into details because I'd just be repeating this article, but we have finally worked out how they did it. In fact, that breakwater? The Romans had a way to make concrete that is made stronger by long-term exposure to seawater - how about using that to reinforce levees around New Orleans?

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why archaeology matters.

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