: Invented "macadam" roads, which used layers of crushed stone to improve drainage.

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

: Today, asphalt is high-tech. Modern pavers use automation and thermal mapping to ensure the mix is laid at the perfect temperature (usually between 150°C and 170°C) to prevent cracks. The Future of the Road

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

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

: Phoenicians and Egyptians used natural bitumen (asphalt) to waterproof their ships , ensuring the wood survived long voyages. The Industrial Revolution

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