Concrete

Hello there. My name is Concrete. When you first meet me, I am a goopy, gray mixture, a bit like thick, gritty mud soup. I love to be poured into all sorts of shapes, filling up molds and spaces. It feels like I'm playing with building blocks, but I'm the block. I start as a wet mix of sand, little stones, and a special powder, all swished together with water. But the most magical part is what happens next. I don't stay goopy for long. I get very quiet, I hold my breath, and then I begin to harden. Slowly but surely, I turn from a thick puddle into solid rock. I was born to solve a big problem for people. Before me, houses were often made of wood that could get old and weak, or mud that could wash away in a big rainstorm. I wanted to help everyone build strong, safe homes and buildings that could last for a super long time.

My family is actually very, very old. My ancestors, called Roman Concrete, were famous thousands of years ago. They helped build incredible things in a place called Rome, like the giant, round Pantheon building with a big hole in its roof to see the sky. It was so strong that it’s still standing today. But after a while, people forgot the special recipe, and I wasn't as popular. Then, one day, a very clever man from England named Joseph Aspdin decided I needed a makeover. He worked like a chef in his kitchen, mixing and heating different kinds of limestone and clay. He was determined to make me the strongest I could be. On October 21st, 1824, he did it. He created a fine gray powder that he called Portland cement. This powder became my new secret ingredient. It was like a super-vitamin that made me incredibly tough and reliable. I was so happy. I thought, “Hooray. Now I can help people build bigger and better than ever before.”. Builders everywhere learned about my new recipe, and soon I was being used to create all kinds of amazing new structures.

Now, you can find me almost everywhere you go. I am the smooth, gray sidewalk you ride your bike on and the strong foundation hidden deep in the ground that holds your house up safely. Look up in a big city, and you’ll see me reaching for the sky as tall skyscrapers. I stretch across wide rivers as long bridges, letting cars and trucks drive from one side to the other. I'm even the fun, bumpy ramps you see at a skatepark. I love my job of being a strong and dependable friend for everyone. I quietly support the world you live in, holding things steady so you can play, learn, and dream. I help make sure your biggest ideas can stand up tall for many, many years.