Asphalt

As cars replaced horses, the demand for smooth, durable roads skyrocketed.

For thousands of years, asphalt was a "miracle" substance found naturally in places like and the Dead Sea . asphalt

: Invented "macadam" roads, which used layers of crushed stone to improve drainage. As cars replaced horses, the demand for smooth,

: Builders moved from natural pits to refined petroleum asphalt, a byproduct of oil production that was more consistent and easier to transport. : Builders moved from natural pits to refined

: Later builders realized that adding hot tar to these stones reduced dust and wear, creating "tarmacadam" (tarmac).

The story of asphalt is one of transformation—from a rare natural resource found in ancient pits to the literal foundation of modern global travel. The Ancient Origins

: In 1870, Belgian chemist Edmund J. DeSmedt laid the first true asphalt pavement in the U.S. in Newark, New Jersey. The Modern Era