Masic says, Giving you some insights into nature

More frequent replacements of concrete structures means more greenhouse gas emissions. Concrete manufacturing is a huge source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, so longer-lasting versions could reduce that carbon footprint. “We make 4 gigatons per year of this material,” Masic says. That manufacture produces as much as 1 metric ton of CO2 per metric ton of produced concrete, currently amounting to about 8 percent of annual global CO2 emissions.

Still, Masic says, the concrete industry is resistant to change. For one thing, there are concerns about introducing new chemistry into a tried-and-true mixture with well-known mechanical properties. But “the key bottleneck in the industry is the cost,” he says. Concrete is cheap, and companies don’t want to price themselves out of competition.

The researchers hope that reintroducing this technique that has stood the test of time, and that could involve little added cost to manufacture, could answer both these concerns. In fact, they’re banking on it: Masic and several of his colleagues have created a startup they call DMAT that is currently seeking seed money to begin to commercially produce the Roman-inspired hot-mixed concrete. “It’s very appealing simply because it’s a thousands-of-years-old material.”

For a long time, every time I look at the better works, I just enjoy them. I just think they are very beautiful or interesting. I just praise them or laugh. I never think about the ideas that the photographer really wants to convey and the deep meaning that he wants to convey.

In fact, those photos are photographers who use the lens to express their understanding of nature, society and life. They all have their own feelings. They use their works to tell us about their understanding and share their experience with us. Therefore, we should also calm down and talk with nature, society and life. Today, I will bring you a group of award-winning works from the World Photography Competition. Maybe they will give you new insights.

First Prize of 2014 World News Photography Competition

Several African migrants in Djibouti hold mobile phones in an attempt to obtain cheap mobile phone signals from neighboring Somalia. Photographer John Stanmeyer.

The third place in Germany in the "National Award" of Sony World Photography Competition in 2014

At the world's largest spiritual gathering held every 12 years in Maha Kumbh Mela, India, pilgrims and believers walk across the pontoon bridge. Photographer: Wolfgang Weinhardt

2014 Sony World Photography Competition "National Award" Hong Kong First Prize

Every July, Kenya repeats the breathtaking wildlife migration scene. Photographer: Zhang Zhixiong

The first prize of "Travel" in the 2014 Sony World Photography Competition Open

The ancient city of Phoenix, in southern China, shows the scene of people traveling in the rain in the rainy season. Behind it are ancient houses and bridges. Photographer Chen Li

Second place in the "National Award" of 2014 Sony World Photography Competition in Hong Kong

Macao Fire Dragon Festival. Photographer: Zhang Zhixiong

The "National Award" of Sony World Photography Competition in 2014, including the first prize of Peru

A man sells balloons in a cemetery in Lima, Peru. Photographer Milko Torres Ramirez

2014 Sony World Photography Competition "National Award" Poland First Prize

Tatiana and her horse in Zak village, Ukraine. Photographer Mateusz Baj

The third place in Argentina in the "National Award" of Sony World Photography Competition in 2014

In the village of Epecue in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, a dam break accident occurred in 1985, causing the saline lake of Epecue to flood. The village was submerged underwater, but the village has never been rebuilt. Photographer Doralisa Romero

The first prize of "Nature and Wildlife" in 2014 Sony World Photography Competition Open

A pony in the snow. Photographer Gert van den Bosch

2014 Sony World Photography Competition "Culture" Youth First Prize

In Bijar, Iran, the Yesh Muslims hold imams every year? A memorial ceremony for Hussein was held on the street. Photographer Bohran Mardani

What if, the team suggested, these inclusions in the cement were actually a feature, not a bug? The researchers’ chemical analyses of such rocks embedded in the walls at the archaeological site of Privernum in Italy indicated that the inclusions were very calcium-rich.

That suggested the tantalizing possibility that these rocks might be helping the buildings heal themselves from cracks due to weathering or even an earthquake. A ready supply of calcium was already on hand: It would dissolve, seep into the cracks and re-crystallize. Voila! Scar healed.

But could the team observe this in action? Step one was to re-create the rocks via hot mixing and hope nothing exploded. Step two: Test the Roman-inspired cement. The team created concrete with and without the hot mixing process and tested them side by side. Each block of concrete was broken in half, the pieces placed a small distance apart. Then water was trickled through the crack to see how long it took before the seepage stopped.