Read the latest positive news, breakthroughs, and inspiring stories about synthetic biology, curated daily by BrightWire.
Singapore just launched a national center that could transform how we make everyday products, from cosmetics to materials, using biology instead of fossil fuels. The $50 million investment aims to make manufacturing cleaner and more sustainable.
A nonprofit startup engineered bacteria that could produce building materials on Mars using only Martian dirt, water, and CO2. While not yet capable of terraforming, the microbe represents a first step toward sustainable human settlement on the Red Planet.
Researchers at UC San Diego taught bacteria to read an eight-letter genetic alphabet instead of nature's standard four, opening doors to custom-engineered medicines and cancer diagnostics. The breakthrough proves cells can process synthetic genetic code using their natural machinery.
Researchers have proven that cells can read and use an eight-letter genetic code, doubling nature's four-letter DNA alphabet. This breakthrough could unlock entirely new biological functions that don't exist in nature.
Scientists have turned bacteria into tiny biological computers that work like electronic circuits, opening the door to crops that can detect threats and defend themselves automatically. These living transistors could one day coat plant roots and leaves to help feed the world.
Researchers led by George Church have figured out how to run two different genetic codes simultaneously, bypassing years of tedious genetic editing. This breakthrough could fast-track the creation of new medicines and materials.
MIT engineers built the first biological circuit boards using bacteria that work like transistors, opening doors for plants that could sense drought or pests and respond on their own. The breakthrough connects simple living cells into complex computing systems that perform calculations.
Researchers in Singapore have created a breakthrough system using colored light to precisely control yeast cells, making bio-manufacturing cleaner and more programmable. The innovation could transform how we produce medicines and fuels.
Scientists engineered common baker's yeast to produce cancer drug ingredients, potentially ending reliance on an endangered Himalayan flower. The breakthrough could help millions of patients while protecting a threatened species.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota created a living cell entirely from non-living chemicals, and it successfully divided on its own. This breakthrough brings us closer to understanding how life began on Earth.
Researchers created SpudCell, a synthetic cell built from 36 genes that can copy its DNA and divide up to five times. This breakthrough brings us closer to designing cells that could produce everyday chemicals without using oil.
Scientists have built the most advanced artificial cell ever created in a lab, and it can adapt to stay alive. The breakthrough brings us closer to understanding the origins of life itself.