Our AI writing assistant, WriteUp, can assist you in easily writing any text. Click here to experience its capabilities.

Tiny living robots made from human cells surprise scientists

View Original View Raw

Summary

Scientists have created tiny living robots (anthrobots) from adult human cells sourced from the trachea, which can move around and may one day be able to help heal wounds or damaged tissue. These anthrobots were able to move in different directions and encouraged growth to damaged regions of neurons. The anthrobots do not pose any ethical or safety concerns as they are not made from human embryos and cannot live outside the lab. They are also not genetically modified and have a natural life span, after which they biodegrade.

Q&As

What are anthrobots?
Anthrobots are tiny living robots made from human cells.

What are the potential applications of anthrobots?
The potential applications of anthrobots include helping to heal wounds or damaged tissue.

What type of cells were used to create the anthrobots?
The scientists used adult human cells from the trachea, or windpipe, from anonymous donors of different ages and sexes.

How do anthrobots move?
Anthrobots move with the help of hairlike projections called cilia that wave back and forth.

Are there any ethical or safety concerns with anthrobots?
There are no ethical or safety concerns with anthrobots as they are not made from human embryos, are not genetically modified in any way, and have a natural life span so after a few weeks, they just seamlessly biodegrade.

AI Comments

👍 This new research is an incredibly exciting breakthrough in the field of robotics and medicine. The potential for these tiny living robots to help heal wounds and damaged tissue could be a game-changer for the healthcare industry.

👎 This research and its potential applications raise ethical and safety concerns, as the anthrobots are not made from human embryos and could potentially escape the lab environment if not properly contained.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about a new study that created tiny living robots from human cells that can move around in a lab dish and may one day be able to help heal wounds or damaged tissue. They call these creations "anthrobots" and it builds on earlier work from some of the same scientists, who made the first living robots, or "xenobots".

Friend: Wow, that's amazing! What are the implications of this study?

Me: Well, the potential implications are huge. These anthrobots could be used to help heal wounds and repair damaged tissue. They could also be used to deliver medicines to specific parts of the body, and they could even be used to explore the microscopic environment of the body. The possibilities are really exciting!

Action items

Follow the research team on social media to stay up to date on their progress.
Research other scientific advancements in the field of robotics and bioengineering.
Reach out to the research team to learn more about their work and how to get involved.

Technical terms

Anthrobot: A living robot made from human cells.
Xenobot: A living robot made from stem cells sourced from embryos of the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis).
Life cycle: The sequence of stages in the life of an organism, from its origin to its death.
Organoid: A clump of cells widely used for research.
Cilia: Hairlike projections that wave back and forth on the surface of cells.
Chimeric: An organism composed of cells from two or more genetically distinct individuals.
Self-assembly: The process by which a complex structure is formed from simpler components without external direction.