3D organ printing to exoplanets

3D printers have revolutionised the production of many different types of materials: now even biological tissue. Recently, there has been a surge of research into generating complex 3D cellular tissues, from printed ears and heart valves, to bone and cartilage. This 3D bioprinting has the potential to create personalised tissues and organs for transplantation or drug development. Science fiction has frequently shown us the potential of this technology, and now scientists have a long way to go to catch up. This talk will discuss the current achievements of state-of-the-art 3D bioprinting.

Until very recently the only planets known to exist anywhere in the universe were those we see in our own solar system. However, in 1995 the first planet orbiting another star was discovered and since then more than 3000 ‘exoplanets’ have been identified. Careful analysis can shed light on the atmospheric conditions, but how can we tell the temperature of a planet’s atmosphere without ever going there? How can we figure out what the atmosphere might be made of? How can we look for evidence of the activity of life? Come to this talk to find out!