Scientists Create Living Building Material that Captures CO₂ From the Air

Forget Tearing Down the House. Regenerative Design Is on the Rise.

From construction materials to ecological consequences, design pros at young or emerging studios are reassessing projects. We explore the topic.

Scientists create living building material that captures CO₂ from the air

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed an astonishing new material: a printable gel that’s alive. Infused with ancient cyanobacteria, this "photosynthetic living material" not only grows but also removes CO₂ from the air, twice over. The bacteria use sunlight to produce biomass and simultaneously trigger mineral formation, which locks carbon away in a stable form. Engineered hydrogels provide an ideal habitat for these microbes, allowing them …

Photosynthetic living material uses bacteria to capture CO₂ in two different ways - Tech and Science Post

Researchers are developing a living material that actively extracts carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Photosynthetic cyanobacteria grow inside it, forming biomass and solid minerals and thus binding CO2 in two different manners. The idea seems futuristic: At ETH Zurich, various disciplines are working together to combine conventional materials with bacteria, algae and fungi. The common goal: to create living materials that acquire useful prope…

Living 3D-Printed Structures Pull Carbon Dioxide From the Air

The Canada Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale presents 'Picoplanktonics,' 3-D printed sculptures contain live bacteria that harness carbon dioxide from the environment.