A potentially game-changing construction material under development at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology utilizes microorganisms, rather than cement, to bind sand particles together, while also absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide that contributes to global warming.
According to the UN Environment Program, the construction industry accounts for a whopping 37 percent of global warming emissions.
The Technion’s interdisciplinary project CyanoGems utilizes microorganisms that photosynthesize, meaning they use sunlight to create food from carbon dioxide and water. During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and oxygen is emitted.
