logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2021
5m 43s

The material that could change the world...

TED
About this episode
Today roads, sidewalks, bridges, and skyscrapers are made of a material called concrete. There's three tons of it for every person on Earth. It's also played a surprisingly large role in rising global temperatures over the last century. So, what exactly makes concrete problematic, and what can we do to fix it? Explore how scientists are working to create a cleaner, more sustainable concrete. [Written by Elizabeth Cox and George Zaidan, directed by Lisa LaBracio, narrated by Jack Cutmore-Scott, music by André Aires].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
Sunday Pick: Do all my friends secretly hate me? | from Corner Piece
Why does making friends as an adult feel like mission impossible?In today’s Sunday Pick, Corner Piece, host Melissa Fernandes explores what it means to be a friend while grappling with a friendship break up. Along the way, she interviews Anna Goldfarb, journalist and author of “M ... Show More
41m 18s
Oct 31
The haunting truth of ghost stories | Coya Paz Brownrigg (re-release)
Ghost stories reveal much more than the ghouls and spirits that haunt them. Settle in for a spooky delight as theater educator Coya Paz Brownrigg lays out three types of bone-chilling tales and exhumes the grave truths they hold about longing, meaning and the cultural value of ee ... Show More
14m 15s
Oct 31
What crows teach us about death | Kaeli Swift (re-release)
Rituals for the dead span much of the natural world, seen in practices from humans and elephants to bees, dolphins and beyond. With charm and playful insight, animal behaviorist Kaeli Swift delves into the life (and death) habits of crows and shares what their responses could rev ... Show More
14m 43s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2022
How is concrete made? And why does it matter?
Concrete is so much more than just a sidewalk. We use it to build playgrounds and skateparks and even musical instruments! But how does it go from a powder to a sludge to the strong building material that we use all over the world? And can we come up with new recipes that are bet ... Show More
27m 47s
Nov 2021
Can we recycle concrete?
<p>Concrete is the most widely used substance on earth after water. It’s quite literally the foundation of the modern world, and no wonder - it’s strong, cheap, and mouldable into nearly any shape.</p><p>But these benefits come at a cost: concrete production is responsible for ar ... Show More
26m 21s
Nov 2016
Concrete
It's improved health, school attendance, agricultural productivity and farm worker wages, but concrete has a poor reputation. It takes a lot of energy to produce and releases a great deal of CO2 in the process. However, architects appreciate its versatility and there are few more ... Show More
8m 57s
Sep 2023
The joy and sorrow of roads
Whether we are pedestrians, cyclists or drivers, roads play a crucial role in our everyday lives. But where and how should we build any new ones? What kind of roads do we need? And how did we end up with the ones we have? Rajan Datar talks about the past and present of roads and ... Show More
48m 18s
Dec 2023
A concrete solution to climate change
Concrete is one of the world’s biggest sources of carbon emissions. Tech companies, including a startup co-founded by former NBA star Rick Fox, are looking to change that. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Isabel Angell, engineer ... Show More
25m 53s
Nov 2023
Rammed earth: What is it and can it help tackle climate change?
Cement is said to be responsible for 8% of global carbon emissions. In the search for an alternative, more sustainable construction material, building companies in Ghana and other African countries are reviving an ancient technique called ‘rammed earth’. Daniel Dadzie, a BBC repo ... Show More
15m 32s
Feb 2024
What comes after concrete?
tail spinning
32m 12s