A groundbreaking construction biomaterial that utilizes living microorganisms to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere has been developed by a graduate student at University College London (UCL) and a team of researchers. This innovation, known as a cyanobacterial engineered living material (C-ELM), has the potential to significantly reduce the construction industry’s carbon footprint if mass-produced and widely implemented.

Developed by a master’s student in the UCL Bio-Integrated Design program, the C-ELM material integrates living cyanobacteria into translucent panels that can be mounted on the interior walls of buildings. These microorganisms, through the process of photosynthesis, absorb carbon dioxide from the air. They then undergo a biomineralization process that binds the carbon dioxide to calcium, forming calcium carbonate and effectively sequestering the carbon.

Concrete, a material that often ends up in landfills after its use, is responsible for approximately 8% of global carbon emissions due to its production. However, researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a groundbreaking method to recycle old concrete into new, robust building blocks. These new blocks are not only strong enough for constructing houses and pavements but also offer a sustainable solution to combat climate change.

The innovative process transforms waste concrete into new blocks that capture carbon dioxide, contributing to a circular economy. Remarkably, this method can be repeated, making it a truly sustainable and renewable approach. “We are trying to develop systems that can contribute to a circular economy and carbon neutrality,” said Professor Ippei Maruyama, the lead researcher behind this development.

Wound infections, especially those associated with burns, present a significant health challenge, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. While antibiotics are typically the standard treatment for serious wounds, their effectiveness is increasingly compromised by issues such as cost, limited access, and the growing threat of bacterial resistance—especially when treatments are not completed. This problem is particularly acute in low- and middle-income countries, where burn-related infections cause a large number of deaths, particularly in rural areas.

Burn wounds are notoriously difficult to treat due to several complicating factors. The damage burns cause to the skin disrupts the protective barrier, allowing opportunistic bacteria to thrive on the nutrients exuded from the wound. Additionally, burns compromise blood supply and weaken the local immune response. When burns cover more than a fifth of the body, they often trigger systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), further complicating infection management.