Bacteria Used To Fix Cracked Concrete

An anonymous reader writes "Researchers at the UK's University of Newcastle have created a new type of bacteria that generates glue to hold together cracks in concrete structures — that means everything from concrete sidewalks to buildings that have been damaged by earthquakes. When the cells have been germinated, they burrow deep into the concrete until they reach the bottom. At this point, the concrete repair process is activated, and the cells split into three types that produce calcium carbonate crystals, act as reinforcing fibers, and produce glue which acts as a binding agent to fill concrete gaps."

Comments

When does it stop?

[Mishotaki]

How is it gonna stop? when they run out of concrete to fill, when they overpopulate and eat all the concrete "cracks" or when they kill all humans and we can't record the moment it stops because there won't be any humans to observe it?

Re:When does it stop?

[shadowrat]

"and they have a built-in self-destruct gene that prevents them from proliferating away from the concrete target."

That never works in the movies. One cosmic ray and the gene is replaced by another one that says," invade humans and turn them into statues."

Re:When does it stop?

[khallow]

invade humans and turn them into statues

Living, moving statues with a ravenous, uncontrollable hunger for the brains of the unpetrified. Prepare yourself for 90 minutes of bad stoner jokes.

Re:When does it stop?

[ross.w]

They'll only be statues when you're looking at them.

Don't blink.

Re:When does it stop?

[lennier]

One cosmic ray and the gene is replaced by another one that says," invade humans and turn them into statues."

Don't blink. Don't even blink.

Blink and you're dead.

Re:Okay.

[somaTh]

Nope, still the present. Well, it was. Now it's the past. Stupid entropy.

Re:How do they know where 'the bottom' is?

[maxwell demon]

Well, since grey goo is such an abstract concept, they thought they would rather use something more concrete ...

Call in sick

[boristdog]

I can't come in today, my street has a bad cold.

Re:Call in sick

[digitaldc]

I know, it looks very congested.

Re:Okay.

[RapmasterT]

Call me when they can pour this Bacterial pudding into a bullet wound and have it heal up...that's the future I'm waiting for. Then I can finally start my crime-fighting vigilante spree.

Or...you could put this pudding IN the bullet, then as soon as you'd got shot, you'd start healing. Joscelyn Elders would finally be vindicated!

Re:Okay.

[Gilmoure]

Wait, when was this?!!!

Re:Read teh article.

[BrotherBeal]

The spores germinate only in very alkaline environments... ...but the bases are nominally covered.

I see what you did there.

Re:More Info From iGEM

[Stupid McStupidson]

"Mommy, I spilled my shake all over the sidewalAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGHGGHGHGHG"

Re:Okay.

[Reziac]

I dunno.. under that logic, I've seen a few folks for whom a bullet wound in the brain would be an upgrade....

Re:Another problem is quacks.

[Reziac]

Okay, we've fixed the holes in the concrete, and made holes in people. Seems to me the logical next step is to fill the holes in the people with concrete.