Concrete = cement + sand + gravel. Cement is the most important man-made material on Earth. Offset your carbon footprint on Wren: https://wren.co/veritasium . For the first 100 people who sign up, I will personally pay for the first month of your subscription!
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A huge thank you to Nevada Ready Mix for being willing to bury me in concrete, especially Elu Chavez and Mike Sherwood. https://www.nevadareadymix.com
And to Brandon Birchak of Six Foot Productions for providing the big fish bowl, safety equipment, planning and filming: https://www.sixfootcreations.com
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References:
Instant stone (just add water), Roots of Progress, https://rootsofprogress.org/instant-stone-just-add-water
https://rootsofprogress.org/cement-redux
Cement Chemistry and Sustainable Cementitious Materials
https://www.youtube.com/@cementchemistryandsustaina9629
Ahmad, S., Lawan, A., & Al-Osta, M. (2020). Effect of sugar dosage on setting time, microstructure and strength of Type I and Type V Portland cements. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 13, e00364. – https://ve42.co/Ahmad2020
Seymour, L. M., Maragh, J., Sabatini, P., Di Tommaso, M., Weaver, J. C., & Masic, A. (2023). Hot mixing: Mechanistic insights into the durability of ancient Roman concrete. Science advances, 9(1), eadd1602. -- https://ve42.co/Seymour2023
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Special thanks to our Patreon supporters:
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Written by Derek Muller
Edited by Trenton Oliver
Filmed by Raquel Nuno, Austin Bradley and Bryson
Animated by Ivy Tello & Mike Radjabov
Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images & Pond5
Music from Epidemic Sound & Jonny Hyman: the Bill Wurtz inspired 'Skyscrapers are made of sea shells'
Produced by Derek Muller, Petr Lebedev, & Emily Zhang
For the first 100 people who sign up, I will personally offset the first month of your carbon footprint on Wren: https://wren.co/veritasium
@dianastein5690 Says:
Someone get him a sledgehammer.
We're gonna play some real getting over it.
@FryedFries41 Says:
Sperm. More sperm then concrete (8.3 billion)
@IB-fz2oq Says:
The floating experience is similar to the Dead Sea in Israel, where it's extremely hard to go underwater because of the "heavy" water.
@elainskieonerec2458 Says:
If ur were stuck there forever, your grave will be there too
@jefftrag1956 Says:
If we had invested all the wasted money that was spent on fake climate change for the real education of our children, the world would be so much better off.
@ameliaamelia1000 Says:
Your so crazy to cover yourself with concrete
@axwali-n8d Says:
This is what daddy pig felt when he got stuck in concrete
@LouiesTown Says:
1:30 the numbers at the bottom are wrong. aren’t they supposed to be: 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 then 10000 not 1000
@Hanz264 Says:
The last good video before Electrify Video Partners got involved.
@polaroctober Says:
rich and bored
@CJames7151 Says:
should have ended it with everyone walking away while you're "stuck" in the giant bowl!
@DylanOConnor Says:
Made with the bones of our ancestors
@nicolekerr3138 Says:
2:16
@LunaliBrighteyes Says:
You left out one of the biggest advantages of Roman concrete that took them forever to figure out. It's extremely resistant to sea water corrosion because they used salt water to make it. It took so long to figure out because the recipe only states "water" because using seawater was obvious.
@s9guod7ggwvi8 Says:
"Guys don't forget to water your concrete"
@Raphiisweeeeird Says:
imagine it just finished pouring and then u need to piss
@MaxNustermann Says:
Diese Kommentarsektion ist Eigentum der Bundesrepublik Deutschland.
@tomw.2535 Says:
CUBIC FEET LMAO THESE MURICANS
@siri624_1 Says:
20:54 didn't expect the quick little song
@dovydasvaiksnys3807 Says:
Was this whole video a cocacola commercial? 😂
@Omnischism Says:
Bro just casually wasting $6 of Coke to teach us. 🫡
@vancedforU Says:
I like how you present concrete examples throughout the video.
@allisonhallman645 Says:
I'm surprised Petroleum wasn't on that list at the beginning of the video.. I wonder where that falls here
@stevenarvizu3602 Says:
Sorry I know this dead horse has been beaten on many other videos but no Roman Concrete is not better than modern concrete. Not because it isn’t good concrete, Roman concrete WAS built to be durable and long lasting, they completely deserve that accomplishment, but humans invented cool stuff like rebar and steel beams that made long lasting concrete unnecessary because the rebar reinforced it and makes it last much longer if that’s what you need.
However most modern concrete is a formula that prioritizes a shorter setting period than durability, which is where the myth stems from. No one is going to spend money on a concrete that can last for 2000 years for a house that will probably be gone in 100. But the capability has always been there.
@korgeguy Says:
skycrapers are made of sea shells
@kamalionify Says:
20:55 🐚You're welcome
@Crivos Says:
18:20 i am watching a grown man explaining some science while he is dropipng coke inside the ball of concrite he is in
@jacobplummer5704 Says:
Good video
@Todd-f3s1m Says:
Click bait
@azoletliarmatay4233 Says:
clickbaited
@hectorruizcastro1943 Says:
What did you do with the glass sphere after the video was finished?
@20CentMan Says:
I saw a doc on substandard concrete that was weigh tested.
It’s serious stuff concrete
@number-1-SNAPfan-n-rue-hater Says:
all fun and games until your in there for a little too long and your *one with the concrete*
@FootballJersey19 Says:
i didn’t come to this video to watch a history documentary just to find out if you can float
@ricardo8549 Says:
Concrete seems harmless but if it comes into contact with the skin and is not washed immediately it can cause serious burns, there is a YouTuber who ended up in the hospital because of this.
@EmmaroseT82 Says:
Most CO2 is made by companies, 70%, we should get the individuals to lower it, we should get the companies.
@randomguy67-69 Says:
CAN I TRY THIS AT HOME
@Casual_Crow Says:
0:13 Cement, cement, cement.
Make sure to hold your breath!
@NomadicSal Says:
20:56 Bro wtf 😂
@Ihr_Anführer Says:
We need über concrete
@janbretthauer Says:
Ah that’s what Cola is for…
@SHO.Designs Says:
Took you 24 minutes (there was a lot else to learn) but the title question can be determined instantly: Density of wet concrete: 2.2 to 2.5, whereas you are around .985 to 1. 1<2.2, so yes, you float.
@emadbabsail1943 Says:
مرفوضة يا معلم
@HyungnamGu Says:
Coca-Cola can act as a concrete retardant due to its sugar content, primarily used to slow surface setting for decorative exposed aggregate finishes, but it's not recommended for structural concrete as high concentrations can ruin its strength, though small amounts might slightly boost strength before becoming brittle. The sugar delays the cement's hydration, giving time to wash off the surface layer to reveal stones with a pressure washer or hose.
How it works
Sugar Content: The sugar in Coke slows down the chemical reaction (hydration) that hardens cement.
Decorative Finish: This allows the deeper concrete to set while the surface stays workable. After a few hours, the surface slurry can be power-washed away, exposing the decorative aggregate.
Application: Spray or mop Coke on fresh concrete, let it sit (around 1.5 to 4 hours), then use a pressure washer or hose to clean off the sugary top layer, revealing the aggregate.
Important considerations
Not for Structure: Using too much Coke makes concrete weak and brittle; it's not a substitute for proper retarder admixtures.
Small Amounts: Research suggests tiny amounts (around 2.5% of cement weight) might increase early strength, but it's risky.
Alternatives: For structural work, use professional concrete retarders, not sugary drinks.
Other Sodas: Other sugary sodas like Mountain Dew work similarly.
DIY Trick: Some DIYers use sugar dissolved in water (about 1 lb per gallon) as a cheaper alternative for the decorative technique.
@FrancophoneBotswana Says:
“SkY SCraPers Are MadE of sEA ShellS”!
@dperry428 Says:
Man-made climate change due to carbon dioxide emissions is utter nonsense. How much do activists care about carbon dioxide sequestration through the growth of plants? They cut down 100,000 trees from the Amazon rain forests to create a highway to their recent world conference. And the vast majority of them got there by flying in commercial and private jets. What a bunch of hypocrites! We actually need MORE carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to create more plant growth. In the last ice age, we came very close to having levels so low that plant life, the basis of ALL life, would have died out. Further, geologic past shows carbon dioxide levels in the thousands of parts per million with NO catastrophic temperature changes. AGW is utter BS.
@mikekoz6351 Says:
I see no women in this video, it’s amazing what MEN have accomplished
@MVz-l3b Says:
Wait that's a dumb experiment!! Cause the top of the hole is kinda closed for oxygen it needs to be wide open enough to find more proof of the results
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