Chinese scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of construction, which successfully resulted in the creation of a new low-carbon material inspired by marine worms, allowing for energy savings and emissions reduction in the construction sector.

Researchers from the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry at the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently published their study in the journal "Matter."

The project director and lead author of the study, Wang Shou Tao, explained that "traditional cement-based building materials consume a lot of energy during production, and at the same time, generate a lot of carbon emissions, so developing new low-carbon building materials is of great importance," according to the "China Daily" newspaper.

The researchers also noted in their study that "there is a specific type of marine worm called the 'sand castle worm,' which are modest sea creatures about two inches long, that have a unique way of building their nests, by binding sand grains or shell fragments together using a biologically secreted adhesive, resulting in homes called 'colonial sandcastles.'

The researchers developed the new building material by using a natural adhesive inspired by that produced by marine worms, and the new material can be produced at low temperatures.

Furthermore, the lead author of the Chinese study, Wang Shou Tao, confirmed that "this exceptional overall performance allows the new material to be a promising building material for the next generation of low-carbon constructions."