Add to this the idea that when we see the...

Promise that we can form any arbitrary shape when you click that sounds pretty convincing, until you realize that the automatic generation of arbitrary 3-D shape is that living organisms are to the invention of multicellular organisms, p. Now designers joined forces with scientists from the Lim laboratory at the University of California, San Francisco, to imagine a "provocation" (this essay for designer thought experiment) in which they explore the possibility of using the known properties of microorganisms in the literal sense of the word " ; grow "products that we use every day. The ultimate goal of their collaboration is "program" any form through a combination of manipulation conducted in the laboratory - from genetic engineering to new media growth. In his first study of the visual possibilities, they decided to expand the already demonstrated some property

bacterium Escherichia coli.

These errors are genetically react to light, creating a so-called "bacterial photography".

There or Kerry and Adam Reineck of IDEO with Reed Williams, PhD candidate at UCSF, to Imagine the photo-organism, which will have a light-sensitive switch is connected to another property - for example, production of hard shell. As a result, visualization here can be tough and durable everyday object made of cells enclosed in cellulose - the material in plants - or chitin, which is the main component of lobster shells. It is important to note that at this stage of the process is still very conceptual. But it is based on real science, and this is in fact of the matter: design of provocation, as it helps people think outside the box we all got mental in our limited knowledge about what is happening at the frontiers of science. "In one day, if we understand how the program [of organisms], we can encode the way for the software - we could encode materiality," says Carey. "This is already happening in nature, but we do not know how to do it yourself."

Interestingly, the items are made from living organisms may have unique properties that go beyond their way to production. In this concept, bacteria used for growing cup includes some of which aid digestion. In other words, probiotics. Built in the original culture from which it grew, and therefore wall cup, the same that give yogurt its healthy Beasties kick will fall into the water poured into the vessel. The result will be a challenge to the basic principles of consumer goods, namely, that the packaging is secondary to selling the product. In this case, the package actually creates a product for which consumers paid - healing drink. Removal of the fluid of a population that should be sent may result in a significant reduction in energy and carbon impact of the product. "At this stage of strattera price the game in synthetic biology, modern to make soluble chemical - such as biofuels," says Williams, a scientist. "But what next? One problem for science to make a tangible material. Speaking of genes in the body to make their own set of solid material with desired properties. Add to this the idea that when we see the living material object, it is not tied to the static properties of the material -. we could encode active properties "

With thinking like that on the table, sky is the limit for the things we grow, not to do. Objects can be self-recovering, or they may change color in the presence of certain toxins and some engineering plants already do when in. Also, there will be consequences, of course, as the New York Museum of Modern Art, where a jacket made of cells of mice shalenily and should be suppressed. .