Lengthening the Lifespan of Concrete with Bacteria

Imagine a concrete surface that, if cracked or in need of repairs, can “heal” itself. Well, that’s exactly what a team at Drexel University in Philadelphia has engineered with BioFiber — a polymer fiber encased in a bacteria-laden hydrogel and a protective, damage-responsive shell with the entire assembly a little over a half-millimeter thick.