concrete
Science
New Super Concrete Inspired By Ancient Pyramids Of Egypt
2:40PM Brian Lam | The modern world has rediscovered how to build really tough concrete by using geopolymers, or concrete that does not need firing. Ancient Romans used the technique to build the Pantheon; Egyptians, the Pyramids. The US? Bunkers that resist all-but-nukes. More »
Design
Concrete Lamp: Maybe It’s Time For A Stronger Desk
4:40AM Sean Fallon | If you have designs on this handsome Heavy Desk Light from Benjamin Hubert, you’ll probably want to ditch the cheap desk you bought at Officeworks. The base and the shade are both made from concrete. [BenjaminHubert via Dezeen]
Design
Plastic Concrete: Hippie’s Wet Dream, Hit Man’s Worst Nightmare
8:20AM Wilson Rothman | Imagine concrete that’s two-thirds granulated plastic, but is as strong as the stuff currently in use. Architect/engineer Henry Miller figured out how to make it, not just on paper, but in a couple of real-life structures. More »
Gadgets
Self-Mending Concrete Bends Like Rubber, Heals Like Flesh
7:55PM John Herrman | It can be bent into a U-shape, “heals” cracks with nothing more than rainwater, and is strong enough to build bridges from. Is Victor Li’s composite building material really even concrete anymore?
Home
The Minimalistic Concrete Block Humidifier Makes You Look Less Feeble
11:20AM Gizmodo US Edition | Having humidifiers in your home can sometimes change its aesthetic atmosphere, sometimes even making you look sickly. But with this Concrete Block Humidifier’s simple, yet ultra-sleek design, you can now avoid drying up—in style. More »
Science
Concrete-Jet Printer Gets Caterpillar Funding: Print-Out Houses on the Way
1:15AM Kit Eaton | Check out this lengthy vid: it shows how one day you may just call-in giant robots to print out a new home based on a CAD model. Research into the concrete-jet printer is being carried out by USC, and their technology can already build up complex concrete structures using technology that’s half-CNC machine and half inkjet-like. They’ve just got funding from Caterpillar to further the research. Amazing stuff, especially when the team says it should be eventually be able to put together a 2,000-square-foot, two storey home in just a day, with all the wiring and plumbing automatically inserted too. Even NASA is interested, as this may be a good solution for building Moonbases. [The Register via Bot Junkie] More »
Science
Dutch Town to Be Paved With Air Pollution-Sucking Bricks
7:39PM Kit Eaton | The small Dutch town of Hengelo is about to test out a new kind of concrete paving slab that actually grabs onto the car-exhaust pollutant nitrogen oxide (a key smog and acid rain ingredient) sucking it out of the air and rendering it harmless. The special bricks contain a component based on titanium dioxide that acts to “fix” the pollutant with the aid of sunlight. The best bit is that the resulting nitrates just wash away with the next rain. Clever stuff: and if the trial results next summer show improved air quality, I’m sure we’ll see environmentalists dancing along singing “Follow the green concrete road!” Or something. [Physorg] More »
Gadgets
This Concrete Table Will Self-Destruct, Just Very Slowly
11:08PM Gizmodo US Edition | Each time someone buys one of these limited-edition concrete coffee tables, the designers subtract a pre-planned chunk from the next one they’ll sell. So, it’s self-destruction in an expensive, arty, musical-chairs-meets-LEGO kind of way rather than a Mission Impossible explosion. “This Table Will Self Destruct” is intriguing, though: does its shrinkage represent less value for money each time, or do you get increased “art” as each chunk gets nibbled away? Only 23 chunks have been zapped so far, so you can buy a nearly complete one today or wait for it to get holier—both options will cost you US$1700 for two. [Product at Studio1am via Nerd Approved] More »
Gadgets
TranslucentConcrete a Lighter Way for Load-Bearing
9:37PM Addy Dugdale | A mixture of traditional concrete and fiber-optics, TranslucentConcrete (not to be confused with translucent concrete—yes, I know) can be used by architects to make load-bearing walls a little more see-through than they normally are. Check the amazing effects in the gallery below. More »
Entertainment
