Scientists are trying to understand how some ancient buildings have lasted for centuries in hopes of making modern buildings more durable.

In the quest to build better for the future, some are looking for answers in the long-ago past.

Ancient builders across the world created structures that are still standing today, thousands of years later — from Roman engineers who poured thick concrete sea barriers, to Maya masons who crafted plaster sculptures to their gods, to Chinese builders who raised walls against invaders.

Yet scores of more recent structures are already staring down their expiration dates: The concrete that makes up much of our modern world has a lifespan of around 50 to 100 years.

  • Franzia
    3•9 months ago

    I thought that many roman structures were built with space for wooden structures in between or incorporated into, but of course those bits are gone. Lot to be said for how people stealing stone from these structures would have also kept them sound, for safety’s sake, and been basically stewards for them. What blows my mind is the few cedar beams in the pyramids that are still present. Yeah, the way we build and use our environment is shit, unsustainable, and requires an unbelievable amount of oversight and maintenance.