IT'LL NEVER FLY, ORVILLE:

It seems like scientists and innovators are able to 3-D print just about anything--bridges, schools and even prized cuts of Wagyu beef. Now, a team of researchers introduced a new printing material: an entirely living ink made of microbes, which they hope can be used to improve building materials, human health and the environment, reports Sabrina Imbler for the New York Times. [...]

Though the ink is in the very beginning stages of its development, researchers are hopeful about its future. They are currently trying to scale up the printable structures from the small shapes they have now to sturdier designs. If it works, the microbial ink could become a greener and more renewable construction material, ultimately leading to the possibility of self-healing buildings, per the Times. Plus, this research can be used to fashion new medical devices for cancer treatments or to clean up toxins in the environment.

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