Cement manufacturing and repair could be significantly improved by using biocement-producing bacteria, but growing the microbes at construction sites remains a challenge. Now, researchers report a freeze-drying approach in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces that preserves the bacteria, potentially allowing construction workers to ultimately use powder out of a packet to quickly make tiles, repair oil wells or strengthen the ground for makeshift roads or camps.
What’s the worst that could happen?
Roads that actively try to kill you.
Oh, I wasn’t even thinking in that direction. I just meant bacteria that produce concrete as a byproduct of their normal life processes, getting loose into the environment and creating concrete everywhere. That other thing would be fun too, though.