In field tests, freeze-dried bacteria were applied to the surface of 3-foot by 3-foot (about 1-meter by 1-meter) plots, and urea and calcium chloride were sprayed on top.

So a construction worker with kidney stones peed on it.
Sounds about right.

[–] PhilipTheBucket@ponder.cat 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

What's the worst that could happen?

[–] ThePantser@lemmy.world 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Roads that actively try to kill you.

[–] PhilipTheBucket@ponder.cat 5 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Oh, I wasn't even thinking in that direction. I just meant bacteria that produce concrete as a byproduct of their normal life processes, getting loose into the environment and creating concrete everywhere. That other thing would be fun too, though.

[–] Flubo@feddit.org 1 points 5 months ago

Its just small humans then. :D

[–] Contramuffin@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

These bacteria are soil bacteria, so they're already in the environment. It seems like they produce biocement in small quantities and under specific conditions, so the real innovation here seems to be packaging them in a "just add water"-style container.

As for the worst that could happen? I suppose misuse of the packaged bacteria might cause the bacteria to leech into the soil and throw off the balance of the soil microbes in the area, which may or may not lead to poor soil quality