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Scientists Say Pyramids Could Be Concrete
Physorg ^
| 4-23-2008
| UPI
Posted on 04/23/2008 1:23:56 PM PDT by 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.
TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: concrete; davidovits; freepun; geopolymer; geopolymerization; geopolymers; godsgravesglyphs; josephdavidovits; michelbarsoum; michelwbarsoum; pyramids; scientists
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1
posted on
04/23/2008 1:23:57 PM PDT
by
blam
To: blam
I’ve thought for a long time that the blocks were cast in place. Still working out how to make a sandstone concrete, though.
2
posted on
04/23/2008 1:26:01 PM PDT
by
SlowBoat407
(It's a fine line between Guardian Angel and Stalker.)
To: blam
Could be? Concrete doesn't look like natural rock. Give some geologist a magnifying glass and sixty seconds and you'll have an answer.
3
posted on
04/23/2008 1:26:54 PM PDT
by
KarlInOhio
(Pray for Rattendaemmerung: the final mutually destructive battle between Obama and Hillary in Denver)
To: SlowBoat407
Probably something similar to cement; fire the stone, add gypsum and other commodities.
To: SlowBoat407; blam
5
posted on
04/23/2008 1:29:19 PM PDT
by
Jeff Chandler
(It takes a father to raise a child.)
To: SlowBoat407
Where would the aliens who built the pyramids get the concrete?
6
posted on
04/23/2008 1:30:36 PM PDT
by
Perdogg
(Reagan would have never said "She's my girl")
To: Perdogg
From their Home Planet Depot
7
posted on
04/23/2008 1:32:05 PM PDT
by
E.Allen
To: SlowBoat407
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.
8
posted on
04/23/2008 1:32:12 PM PDT
by
Jeff Chandler
(It takes a father to raise a child.)
To: SlowBoat407
Still working out how to make a sandstone concrete, though. Ask Calypso Louie Farrahkhan I'm sure he knows......
9
posted on
04/23/2008 1:33:48 PM PDT
by
Red Badger
( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
To: Perdogg
Where would the aliens who built the pyramids get the concrete? http://www.macraesbluebook.com/search/company.cfm?company=402249
10
posted on
04/23/2008 1:34:56 PM PDT
by
Red Badger
( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
To: blam
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.
11
posted on
04/23/2008 1:35:15 PM PDT
by
ZX12R
To: blam
12
posted on
04/23/2008 1:35:31 PM PDT
by
Red Badger
( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
To: blam
Ya mean at this late date in history they don’t know
13
posted on
04/23/2008 1:35:46 PM PDT
by
uncbob
To: blam
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.
14
posted on
04/23/2008 1:36:44 PM PDT
by
SpaceBar
To: SlowBoat407
I’m betting the pyramids self formed from Natural Selection.
15
posted on
04/23/2008 1:37:00 PM PDT
by
MrB
(You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
To: Red Badger
The ancient Egyptians could fly, before the white man came and...
not sure how this works out, but,
somehow made them not fly.
16
posted on
04/23/2008 1:38:21 PM PDT
by
MrB
(You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
To: SlowBoat407
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.
To: E.Allen
From their Home Planet Depot THAT's Funny! I needed a laugh right now.
18
posted on
04/23/2008 1:40:28 PM PDT
by
NativeSon
(off the Rez without a pass...)
To: MrB
We're letting them fly again.......
19
posted on
04/23/2008 1:41:14 PM PDT
by
Red Badger
( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
To: MrB
Im betting the pyramids self formed from Natural Selection.
Ascent with modification from a grain of sand.
20
posted on
04/23/2008 1:41:22 PM PDT
by
ZX12R
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