Grow Your Own Buildings

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Just as Wolf expected, minerals from the seawater (mainly calcium carbonate compounds) began to cling to the cathodes. At first, the accumulation made the metal mesh look as if it had been dipped in molten glass. As it thickened, the coating began to resemble sprayed asbestos flocking, and then—when the interstices finally closed—sprayed concrete. Even after the material was quite thick, the mineral accretion continued . . . until the electric current was switched off.

Samples of the limestone-like substance were taken back to Austin, where tests revealed that the material was able to withstand pressures of more than 4,000 pounds per square inch, and was thus structurally stronger than the concrete normally used for driveway slabs and stairs. Yet the material was lighter in weight than is concrete, and—though the samples appeared porous—they didn't weaken as they dried.

Here's another interesting fact: So little electricity had to be trickled through the circuit—a maximum of 50 amps at 12 volts—that Wolf and two student assistants were able to swim through the electric field without feeling even a tingle. And the fish and other sea creatures—far from being repelled—seemed at times to actually be attracted to the field.

By 1975, when Professor Hilbertz published the first results of his experiments, he had discovered that both the growth rate and the strength of the material could be regulated by adjusting the spacing of the anodes and cathodes and varying the density of the current. He also found that large structures would be stronger if allowed to grow slowly . . . perhaps over as much as a year's time.

In addition, Wolf was able to determine how much electricity to use in different situations, and the effect of water temperature as on structural growth. He also found out that—once the current was switched off—barnacles and other sea creatures were still attracted to the forms and continued to add to the strength of the grown structures.

The professor has tried to "raise" buildings in fresh water—some of it mineral rich and some not—but he found that in such an environment the mineral accretion was too slow and sometimes uneven. Seawater has proved to be a much better electrolyte, since the ocean-grown material is always strong and durable.

Once the concept was shown to be valid, Wolf and his team began to think of structures that might be practical to grow underwater. Why not ships' hulls? Why not beach houses that could simply be hoisted on shore once they were complete? Why not "forests" of components for land-based modular and prefabricated buildings?

Power for the first experiments was provided by the trickle charger, but Hilbertz was soon using small set on a reef above the growing structuresthat were capable of generating 60 to 200 watts in normal winds .. . more than enough electricity to produce even large buildings.

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