Scientists Say Pyramids Could Be Concrete

Physorg ^ | 4-23-2008 | UPI

[blam]

Scientists say pyramids could be concrete

April 23, 2008

Scientists are taking a new look at Egypt's pyramids to see if some of the blocks could have been made from concrete.

Linn W. Hobbs, a materials science professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told The Boston Globe there is a chance ancient Egyptians could have cast the blocks from synthetic material instead of carving them from quarries. Scientists have long believed Romans were the first to use structural concrete.

Undergraduates in MIT's Materials in Human Experience class are building a scale-model pyramid made of quarried limestone and blocks cast from crushed limestone sludge fortified with clay, silica and natural desert salts.

Archaeologists say there is no evidence the pyramids are built of any synthetic material, the newspaper said. Hobbs said the concrete theory, advanced in the 1980s by French chemical engineer Joseph Davidovits, is fascinating because it would mean the ancient Egyptians were great materials scientists as well as great civil engineers.

[SlowBoat407]

I’ve thought for a long time that the blocks were cast in place. Still working out how to make a sandstone concrete, though.

[KarlInOhio]

Could be? Concrete doesn't look like natural rock. Give some geologist a magnifying glass and sixty seconds and you'll have an answer.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Probably something similar to cement; fire the stone, add gypsum and other commodities.

[Jeff Chandler]

That's what Dr. Davidowitz has been saying for 30 years.

www.geopolymer.org/category/archaeology/pyramids

[Perdogg]

Where would the aliens who built the pyramids get the concrete?

[E.Allen]

From their Home Planet Depot

[Jeff Chandler]

According to the theory, the older pyramids with the mobile home-sized limestone blocks were poured in place. The only tools available at the time were copper. The newer pyramids with smaller sandstone blocks were made with traditional carved blocks.

[Red Badger]

Still working out how to make a sandstone concrete, though.

Ask Calypso Louie Farrahkhan I'm sure he knows......

[Red Badger]

Where would the aliens who built the pyramids get the concrete?

http://www.macraesbluebook.com/search/company.cfm?company=402249

[ZX12R]

Some of the chambers and other internal structures are lined with enormous granite slabs, and I don’t think those could be cast. So, if you can carve out large granite slabs, it should be pretty simple to cut limestone ones, and do so faster and easier. I don’t see the need for them to even consider casting.

[Red Badger]

http://www.macraesbluebook.com/search/company.cfm?company=402249

[uncbob]

Ya mean at this late date in history they don’t know

[SpaceBar]

Materials scientist, archaeologists, chemical engineers. They throw around a lot of high powered degrees in the article without mentioning the one discipline most qualified to make the determination, e.g. a geologist. Specifically one specializing in igneous petrology.

[MrB]

I’m betting the pyramids self formed from Natural Selection.

[MrB]

The ancient Egyptians could fly, before the white man came and...

not sure how this works out, but,

somehow made them not fly.

[Calvin Locke]

Still working out how to make a sandstone concrete, though.

There's a big push on by watermelons to use some form of diatomaceous earth to replace concrete, especially in third world countries.

I believe that's the basis for some of the "poured pyramid" theories.

The manufacture of concrete contributes to man-made global warming.

[NativeSon]

From their Home Planet Depot

THAT's Funny! I needed a laugh right now.

[Red Badger]

We're letting them fly again.......

[ZX12R]

I’m betting the pyramids self formed from Natural Selection.

Ascent with modification from a grain of sand.