What surprising ingredient was mixed into the mortar used to build parts of the Great Wall of China?
Wasabi
Egg whites
Honey
Sticky rice
Fact: Sticky rice wasn’t just a staple of Chinese meals. It also helped hold together parts of the Great Wall of China. Builders mixed sticky rice with slaked lime to create a durable mortar for binding bricks and stones. The rice contains amylopectin, a starch that helps control the formation of calcium carbonate crystals, producing a denser structure. Research has shown that adding sticky rice can improve lime mortar’s strength and durability. This resourceful building technique was also used in other historic Chinese structures.
Correct Answer: Sticky rice