News Summary

• Scientists are trying to understand how some ancient buildings have lasted for centuries in hopes of making modern buildings more durable..
• Researchers used to think these chunks were a sign that the Romans weren’t mixing up their materials well enough.Instead, after analyzing concrete samples from Privernum — an ancient city outside of Rome — the scientists found that the chunks could fuel the material’s “self-healing” abilities..
• Scientists think they’ve found a key reason why some Roman concrete has held up structures for thousands of years: The ancient material has an unusual power to repair itself..
• (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)Now, scientists think they’ve found a key reason why some Roman concrete has held up structures for thousands of years: The ancient material has an unusual power to repair itself..
• The mortar that holds together some of China’s most famous structures — including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City — includes traces of starch from sticky rice..
• And according to a study published earlier this year, the secret to these structures’ longevity might lie in the trees that sprout among them.A stucco relief is seen inside the “Jaguar Tunnel” at the Acropolis of Copan, an ancient Maya site in western Honduras, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023..