Are Bees the Construction Workers of the Future?

Feature image by John Becker

Whether you’re for or against bioengineering, this is certainly an idea that has the capacity of revolutionizing the way buildings are built and repaired. Former editor-in-chief of Gizmodo (the tech website), Geoff Manaugh and designer John Becker developed a bioengineering plan which would substitute bees for 3D printers.

Without getting too scientific, Manaugh told Dezeen Magazine that, “The notion that we could abandon industrial dyes, fossil fuels, artificial adhesives, and other toxic, carcinogenic, or environmentally damaging materials and, instead, work humanely with the bodies of animals to produce viable alternatives is actually an enormously exciting possibility.” Manaugh continued, “It combines synthetic biology with biomimetics, and suggests that the future of industrial production might someday be visually indistinguishable from a rain forest, coral reef, or garden.”

In other words, the bees would be genetically modified to produce a concrete-like material instead of honey from their glands to print and repair buildings and other structures. The pair were inspired by studies and experiments conducted by the U.S. military and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who have explored the use of genetically modified animals in creating otherwise man-made things like weapons-grade silk and enclosures.

Image by John Becker

The actual process of training the bees wouldn’t divert largely from contemporary lab methods used to extract natural products, in fact, the bees would be turned into “construction worker” bees by housing them inside molds that are made in the shape of the structures needed. The idea is that one day, the bees will even be able to create free-standing structures from scratch.

With valid arguments for and against genetically modified organisms (gmos), it’s worthy of at least reviewing. Manaugh defends the idea by pointing to a species of bee, native to New England that naturally produces a cellophane-like polymer which could potentially replace plastic. Another example raised was a study that proved that just by altering the diet of silkworms, naturally dyed silk could be produced. The benefits are decreased levels of fossil fuel use and materials free from industrial inks.

As environmental issues become more serious, this could be a viable solution, but it is crucial to examine the potential adverse effects this could have on manipulating a species that has proven in specific regions across the world to be extremely aggressive. In agreement, Manaugh said “Living creatures are not just an industrial resource for humans to use and exploit, turning them into 3D printheads on a whim,” also mentioning that the idea is being posed solely as a hypothetical scenario. “This is another reason why our idea of printing architecture using genetically modified bees is presented as the plot of a fictional story, not as an actual biological design proposal for 3M or BASF to consider investing in.”

What do you think about this daring and controversial idea? For now, these new homes will be built the good old fashioned way!