Geogenomic code March 09, 2007

While there are few obvious connections between stacked produce in a grocery store and concrete production, researchers at MIT have found at least one. Apparently the nanostructure of Portland cement is very similar to the most efficient means for stacking spheres - it looks like a display of oranges, only much, much smaller.

Driven by a desire to reduce CO2 emissions from Portland cement production, the research team surveyed concrete from around the world in an attempt to determine its "geogenomic code." The end goal is to find a substitute for Portland cement that is equally as available as crushed limestone but requires less energy to convert to a binding agent for concrete. Portland cement production is responsible for between 5 and 10 percent of all of the annual global CO2 production - roughly equal to the entire airline industry.

Read the whole article: MIT: Nanoengineered concrete could cut CO2 emissions

And, for more fun science-related news, check out the site that published it: Eurekalert.org