Flash Briefing #2: Why Ancient Roman Concrete Heals Its Own Cracks (MIT Study)

In January 2023, MIT researchers led by Professor Admir Masic proved why Roman seawalls and the Pantheon dome survive for two millennia.

Hot-mixed quicklime creates tiny white calcium clasts inside the stone; when rainwater enters a fracture, the calcium dissolves and recrystallizes to seal the crack automatically.

Verified Source: Science Advances and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (January 2023).