Our study on the mechanisms behind the self-healing properties of ancient Roman concrete is published in Science Advances. An unexpected ancient manufacturing strategy may hold the key to designing concrete that lasts for millennia. This was truly a wide-ranging and interdisciplinary effort and I want to thank my former graduate students Linda Symour and Janille Maragh for the extraordinary effort they put into this research. This work would not have been possible without the contribution of James Weaver and colleagues from Italy and Switzerland. Our hope is that these findings inspired by the past will help us reimagine modern concrete as a multifunctional material for building a sustainable future. We dedicate this paper in memoriam of mastro Gilberto Quarneti (1941-2021) for his immense contribution to ancient materials studies.