Bioengineering

Scientists have grown a tiny brain-like organoid out of human stem cells, hooked it up to a computer, and demonstrated its potential as a kind of organic machine learning chip, showing it can quickly pick up speech recognition and math predictions.

The communications and nutrients support system of fungi, mycelium, can stretch hundreds of miles beneath our feet. Now, researchers have harnessed another of its bio-superpowers to engineer a sustainable, safe and effective fire-retardant material.

Lockheed Martin is turning to the littlest factories imaginable to develop a new generation of advanced materials. Working under a US$10 million, five-year contract the company will develop ways to bioengineer the DNA in single-cell organisms as a way to create new materials.

At the recent SUNZ Summit we met up with Dr Amy Fletcher and asked her whether we should consider bioengineering animals that could live in the world we're creating, rather than in the one we're destroying?