Greek researchers are turning to nature to fight accelerating coastal erosion, replacing short-lived concrete structures with reefs built the way nature forms them.
“Concrete constructions usually don’t last long, so our team turned to natural methods,” said project lead Niki Evelpidou, professor of geology and geo-environment at the University of Athens.
The team developed a patented technique that mimics the fossilization process. Local sand, pebbles and shells are placed in geotextile forms on the seabed, where native bacteria bind the material by depositing carbonate salts, creating rocklike reefs in weeks. “What nature does in a thousand years, we do in a few weeks,” Evelpidou said.
These reefs act as natural wave breakers, reducing energy before it reaches the shore while also capturing carbon dioxide. Their startup, Nature4Nature, has won three innovation awards and is launching pilot projects worldwide. Evelpidou says the goal is long-lasting, low-impact protection.