Imagine a runway material that crumbles like a marshmallow to save lives during plane emergencies – and it’s real! Chinese researchers have created ultra-lightweight "marshmallow" concrete designed to gently stop aircraft weighing up to 100 tonnes. This innovation could revolutionize aviation safety worldwide 🌍✨.
Developed by the China Building Materials Academy with aviation and tech partners, the material is 80% air-filled bubbles 🫧, weighs just 200kg per cubic meter (10x lighter than regular concrete!), and absorbs impact like a superhero foam shield. "It looks solid but turns into kinetic-energy sponge mode on contact," says lead engineer Fang Jun.
Traditional runway safety zones use water pools or soil, but these freeze, attract wildlife, or degrade over time. The new foam concrete solves these issues while being cheaper than international alternatives. Bonus: It uses ordinary cement instead of pricier materials, making it accessible for smaller airports 💸➡️💡.
The secret sauce? Scientists added a special "bubble armor" agent inspired by soap chemistry and developed a two-stage strength system to keep the material durable outdoors. Next stop: Making global air travel safer, one squishy runway at a time 🛬🎯.
