As anyone who's ever visited Italy knows, the ancient Romans were master engineers. Their roads, aqueducts, and temples are still holding up remarkably well despite coming under siege over the centuries by waves of sacking marauders, mobs of tourists, and the occasional earthquake. But it seems the Romans also knew a thing or two about making concrete. While world's 1960s concrete tower blocks and flyovers are crumbling, Roman monuments such as the Pantheon and the Coliseum are still standing. Now scientists have discovered the secret ingredient behind the longevity of Roman concrete - volcanic ash. The study by the University of California, in Berkeley, found Roman concrete showed no corrosion, with a smooth surface suggesting long-term stability. Manufacturing modern cement requires heating a mix of limestone and clay at 1,450C. But Roman architectural mortar uses 85 per cent volcanic ash, fresh water and lime, which is cast at a much lower temperature, significantly reducing its carbon footprint. Now the researchers want to take the Roman techniques and apply them to modern cements. Dr Marie Jackson said: 'If we can find ways to incorporate a substantial component of volcanic rock in the production of specialty concretes, we could greatly reduce the carbon emissions associated with their production. We could also improve their durability and mechanical resistance over time.'

The plan to turn Gyumri into a technological center can now be considered a reality in part, as Armenia's second largest city on Saturday launched its industrial park in a ceremony attended by high-ranking guests. The Gyumri TP is part of a larger project aimed to making Gyumri an industrial center equipped with high technologies, says Bagrat Yengibaryan, the director of the Enterprise Incubator Foundation. "This is an exceptional opportunity for Armenia in terms of training high-quality human resources and making investments based on them. International organizations' presence in Gyumri will, in turn, help create a highly-paid workforce which will have its impact on raising not only the education level but also the living standards," he told reporters covering the event. The ceremony was attended by President Serzh Sargsyan, Minister of Economy Karen Cshmarityan, Mayor of Gyumri Samvel Balasanyan and many other guests. Construction of the project started in 2012. The total floor area is 6500 square meters. Here are situated "Armtab" laboratory and educational laboratory room, laboratory of engineering and mechanics, rooms of companies "D-Link" and "E-Works", a multimedia studio and the auditorium.

The 3D printing revolution is almost at the point where there can be a printer in any home. But what about using a printer to build the house itself? The Dutch company DUS Architects is working on doing just that. They've developed a 3D printer 10 times the size of ordinary ones. It's called the KamerMaker, which means Room Builder, and they've built it out of a shipping container, with the goal to 3D print an entire house! Using bio-plastics, the on-site printer can create the pieces of a canal home that the firm is currently building as an experiment over the next few years. One aspect of construction they're testing is the ability to reduce waste. The bio-plastic is based on rapeseeds, and if the manufactured piece is slightly out of spec, it can be ground up and reused. Also, because the pieces are all made on site, there's less trial and error, and therefore fewer resources are wasted. Some think the on-site model will increase construction time but that's all part of the experiment. The architectural firm is even thinking of other material possibilities, like a wood-based liquid that hardens into something like MDF, or biodegradable products that could be used for temporary structures, then melted back into the earth after a season. At the Canal House, pieces ranging from around 3 meters tall (which take a week to print) to room components with built-in furniture will be fitted together and filled with insulating concrete, creating not only a new building, but also the opportunity to learn how these revolutionary techniques can be best used on the building sites of tomorrow. A couple of decades ago, the very idea of robo-printing a house, or 3D-printed anything would have been considered science fiction; existing only in a Star Trek universe or similar. In just a few short years, the 3D printing industry has grown by leaps and bounds, and we're currently seeing everything from 3D-printed food to prosthetic limbs, furniture items, and now even full-scale buildings. During his visit to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, The 3D Print Canal House was presented to United States' President Barack Obama by the Mayor of Amsterdam Eberhard van der Laan.

As reported the M24.ru, the new blacktop Nano road "Rosnano" with nanoparticles, rumble strips and glowing markings will be opened in October 2015 in North village, in the north-east of Moscow. Innovative road 655 meters in length and 15-18.5 meters in width will start from Dolgoprudnenskoe highway. The project budget is estimated US$ 5.6 million. During the blacktop construction will be used "Nano dispersed and polymeric components" to extend the roadway life. Stabilizing supplements should increase validity of asphalt in three times and prevent formation of cracks during frosts. Traffic lane markings made of polymeric tapes will be more resistant to automobile tires. In addition, the new road will test LED layout. On the "zebra crossings" may be installed laser 3D-holograms. During construction of "Rusnano" also suggested the use of shredded car tires.

A 500 meter loop will be built on the campus of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) followed by a commercial network, according to skyTran, the company that will build it. Two-person vehicles will be suspended from elevated magnetic tracks, as an alternative transport method to congested roads, the firm promised. The system should be up and running by the end of 2015. The firm hopes the test track will prove that the technology works and lead to a commercial version of the network. The plan is to allow passengers to order a vehicle on their smartphone to meet them at a specific station and then head directly to their destination. The vehicles will achieve speeds of up to 70km/h although the commercial rollout is expected to offer much faster vehicles. A number of skyTran projects are planned globally, including in India and the US, but will depend upon the success of the Israeli pilot. SkyTran, based at the Nasa research park in California, hopes to revolutionize public transport. Chief executive Jerry Sanders described the agreement to build a test track with IAI as a "breakthrough" for the project. Joe Dignan, an independent smart city expert, said the system represented "a hybrid between existing infrastructure and autonomous vehicles". "It will get the market in the mood for autonomous vehicles - it is not too scary, is cheaper than building out a train line and uses part of the urban landscape, 20 feet above ground, that isn't currently used."