University of Minnesota block M made of engineered bacteria and silica (IMAGE)

University of Minnesota

University of Minnesota block M made of engineered bacteria and silica

Caption

*This is not jello.* This block M is composed of engineered bacteria and silica — a material commonly used in plaster — cross-linking together. The purple tint is a protein produced by the bacteria. If the M was damaged, researchers could add nutrients and any cracks would self-heal.

Credit

Credit: Dr. Sunyoung Kang, Postdoctoral Associate, Schmidt-Dannert Lab, University of Minnesota.

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