Researchers at the Matter Design lab, many of them from the US institute of technology MIT, have discovered a way to move objects as heavy as a great white shark without needing to do so. any tool.
The megalithic structures at Stonehenge have wowed visitors for decades, but scholars are still figuring out how they got there.
To say that man himself brought the blocks to put them where they are now is almost unthinkable, because each such block has an average weight of up to 25 tons. However, a group of researchers recently said that when they learned about a secret construction method, they realized that anything is possible.
Using blocks of stone with the right density and center of gravity, people can build anything they want.
In 2014, researchers at the Matter Design lab, many of them from MIT, began studying how to build giant structures like the statues on Easter Island, or Egyptian pyramids… of ancient civilizations. Using rocks with the right density and center of gravity, they found that humans can indeed move objects as heavy as a great white shark with just their bare hands.
With help from the construction research firm Cemex Global R&D, the researchers performed many maneuvers that we wouldn’t even dream of: they rotated huge blocks of rock that look as light as feathers. , or assemble objects into ladder shapes without the need for trucks or cranes.
To determine which building materials to use and where to focus them, Matter Design relies on a computer algorithm. When the algorithm finds the formula but it doesn’t work in the real world, researchers can make tweaks to ensure objects can be easily moved by humans.
“ Of course, there are a lot of difficulties. But since we are designers, we can always make sure their focus is pulled in the direction it needs to go.” – Brandon Clifford, an MIT associate professor and a of the laboratory’s partners, said.
Clifford recently announced his lab’s findings at TED 2019 – a conference that focuses on ideas that go beyond life. He said his project could change the future of the construction industry by allowing companies to build without a crane, which is expensive or difficult to implement.
In addition, the construction process can also avoid the need to destroy buildings. While today’s conventional commercial buildings are designed to last for decades, Matter Design’s structures can last…for eternity, says Clifford. They can also be taken apart to create new structures if desired.
“We’re trying to not just think about the end product, like structures that you can deploy around the world. This project is not limited in size, ” – Clifford said.