From the mud, straw, and gypsum mixtures of ancient Egypt’s monumental pyramids to the sophisticated underwater material employed by Roman engineers in iconic structures like the Pantheon, concrete has long symbolized civilization’s resilience and ingenuity.
From the mud, straw, and gypsum mixtures of ancient Egypt’s monumental pyramids to the sophisticated underwater material employed by Roman engineers in iconic structures like the Pantheon, concrete has long symbolized civilization’s resilience and ingenuity.
Yet today, concrete finds itself in a paradoxical bind: The very material that allowed societies to flourish is also responsible for up to 9% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change, itself deeply rooted in fossil fuel use, presents humanity with an existential challenge if people seek to sustainably build the structures that support modern life—namely, new homes, highways, bridges, and more.
Now, designers, materials scientists, and engineers from the University of Pennsylvania have teamed up to create a biomineral-infused concrete by blending 3D printing with the fossil architecture of microscopic algae. This concrete is remarkably lightweight—yet structurally sound—and captures up to 142% more CO₂ than conventional mixes while using less cement and still meeting standard compressive-strength targets.
Read More: Penn State University
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's Polyhedral Structures Laboratory work on computational design and structural optimization projects. (Photo Credit: Scott Spitzer / University of Pennsylvania)
