Adobe construction: What's old is new again
For thousands of years, civilizations around the world have built houses out of earth – whether it be mud brick, wattle and dab or rammed earth. But adobe (the practice of making mudbricks) has now become today's "it" building material, from museums around the world designed using adobe, to do-it-yourselfers constructing homes from the very dirt beneath their feet. Correspondent Conor Knighton looks at the history of adobe, and how ancient adobe materials are being merged with 3-D printing techniques. [Original air date: May 17, 2026.]
TL;DR
- Earth has been used for building houses for thousands of years.
- Adobe (mudbrick construction) is currently a popular building material.
- Adobe is being used in museums and for DIY home construction.
- Ancient adobe techniques are being combined with 3D printing.