Biology
Engineered Living Materials with Programmable Bacterial Cellulose
Quick fact
Bacterial cellulose is produced naturally by certain bacteria, like Komagataeibacter xylinus, and is chemically identical to plant cellulose but with superior purity and mechanical strength.
Why this is interesting
Imagine a bandage that can sense a wound and grow to heal it, or a building material that repairs its own cracks. Scientists are making these possible by programming bacteria to create 'living' materials that can be controlled.