"In the lab we have been able to show healing of cracks with a width of 0.5mm - two to three times higher than the norms state, " Dr Jonkers explained.

BBC: Key test for re-healable concrete

Her neighbor, a 34-year-old man who wouldn't give his name, pointed to the damage his own house had sustained, including cracks of five to 10 centimeters in width.

WSJ: Rescuers Work to Reach Quake Area

Her neighbor, a 34-year-old man who wouldn't give his name, pointed to the damage his own house had suffered, including cracks of five to 10 centimeters in width.

WSJ: Death Toll From China Quake Rises to 186