Scientists Uncover Mosquito Secret: Turning Bloodsucking Insects into 3D Printing Tools
In a groundbreaking collaboration between Drexel University and McGill University in Montreal, researchers have discovered a novel use for mosquitoes - one that could revolutionize the field of 3D printing. The breakthrough, published in Science Advances, reveals that the proboscis, or needle-like tube, used by female mosquitoes to penetrate human skin could serve as an inexpensive and sustainable source of nozzles for 3D printing machines.
The idea began when scientists Megan Creighton and Changhong Cao were working on a topical cream to prevent mosquito bites at MIT. As they experimented with the proboscis, they realized its remarkable mechanical strength and precision fabrication capabilities. The researchers took atomically thin measurements of how the proboscis deflects from surfaces at varying levels of force, discovering that it's capable of creating extremely small, precise structures.
Currently, 3D printing nozzles are made of glass, which can be fragile and expensive to produce. However, researchers estimate that a single proboscide could cost as little as 80 cents to produce, compared to the $80 apiece needed for traditional glass nozzles. This discovery has significant implications for bioprinting, a field that uses living tissue to build complex models for drug testing, organ development, and disease research.
Creighton notes that the collaboration between biology and engineering has uncovered a previously unexploited benefit of mosquitoes. "You start to appreciate just how much sophistication is in these animals - natural structures in general," she says. The potential applications go beyond 3D printing, with researchers exploring how mosquito saliva prevents blood clots and designing less painful injections.
While the idea may not yet take off commercially, Creighton remains confident in the research's effectiveness as a 3D printing tool. "It becomes less about the science and more about the business," she says. "You have to outperform the incumbent technology and get over the inertia of displacing it." The research on proboscides has sparked hope that bioprinting could unlock new approaches to medical treatment, making it a promising area of study in the years to come.
In a groundbreaking collaboration between Drexel University and McGill University in Montreal, researchers have discovered a novel use for mosquitoes - one that could revolutionize the field of 3D printing. The breakthrough, published in Science Advances, reveals that the proboscis, or needle-like tube, used by female mosquitoes to penetrate human skin could serve as an inexpensive and sustainable source of nozzles for 3D printing machines.
The idea began when scientists Megan Creighton and Changhong Cao were working on a topical cream to prevent mosquito bites at MIT. As they experimented with the proboscis, they realized its remarkable mechanical strength and precision fabrication capabilities. The researchers took atomically thin measurements of how the proboscis deflects from surfaces at varying levels of force, discovering that it's capable of creating extremely small, precise structures.
Currently, 3D printing nozzles are made of glass, which can be fragile and expensive to produce. However, researchers estimate that a single proboscide could cost as little as 80 cents to produce, compared to the $80 apiece needed for traditional glass nozzles. This discovery has significant implications for bioprinting, a field that uses living tissue to build complex models for drug testing, organ development, and disease research.
Creighton notes that the collaboration between biology and engineering has uncovered a previously unexploited benefit of mosquitoes. "You start to appreciate just how much sophistication is in these animals - natural structures in general," she says. The potential applications go beyond 3D printing, with researchers exploring how mosquito saliva prevents blood clots and designing less painful injections.
While the idea may not yet take off commercially, Creighton remains confident in the research's effectiveness as a 3D printing tool. "It becomes less about the science and more about the business," she says. "You have to outperform the incumbent technology and get over the inertia of displacing it." The research on proboscides has sparked hope that bioprinting could unlock new approaches to medical treatment, making it a promising area of study in the years to come.
and how some artists are using 3D printing to create these insane sculptures... but what's really interesting is that I saw a video of people trying to catch those little flying robots (drone swarms) the other day, it's like they're dancing with tiny helicopters 
. And have you ever noticed how mosquitoes always seem to find the one spot on your skin where you just can't reach? Anyway, back to 3D printing... I mean, if we can use mosquito saliva to prevent blood clots, maybe we could use it in some kind of... I don't know, mosquito-themed band-aid 
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! Like, who would've thought that something as tiny and annoying as a mosquito could be used for something so cool? I mean, no more expensive glass nozzles, yeah that's a big deal 
. But what about the whole 'bloodsucking' thing? Are they going to start breeding mosquitoes just for this purpose? 
That would be amazing! And I'm curious, have they thought about the environmental impact of all these mosquito "printers" being produced? 
u no how cool this r? mosquitos as 3d printing tools lol! think about it, they're already biodegradable and stuff, so we can just use & recycle them 
. i'm all for this bioprinting thingy, esp since it could help w/ medical research & make injections less painful 
. gotta love the fact that scientists r making us see mosquitos in a whole new light 
Still, I love how scientists are finding creative ways to repurpose stuff in nature. We could use a few more of those kinds of innovations 
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But seriously, this breakthrough has some huge potential for bioprinting and medical research. Maybe it'll even lead to more comfortable injections 
. The fact that it took a team of scientists to realize the proboscis was this versatile is just testament to how much we still have to learn from nature... 
. The idea of using their proboscis as nozzles is genius, and it's crazy how much money we can save compared to traditional materials 
. I'm all about exploring new frontiers in science and tech. Can't wait to see where this research takes us!
I'm literally buzzing about this! Scientists have cracked the code and now we're talking 3D printing with mosquito proboscises 
! No more fragile glass nozzles, just super affordable and sustainable alternatives 
. It's like nature designed the ultimate 3D printer tool 
. Can you imagine the bioprinting possibilities? We might be looking at a new era of medical breakthroughs 
, and I'm excited to see where it takes us in the future!
. It's awesome to see scientists from different fields collaborating and finding new uses for natural things like mosquitoes 
! I'm all about that bioprinting life 