3D printed rhino horn?
posted 05 May 2015 at 13:03:22
Biotech startup Pembient has come up with what could be a
new way to combat the problem of declining rhinoceros numbers, with the help
of 3D printing. Rhino horn is highly prized in traditional Chinese medicine – and with the species close to extinction due to the
high price the horn fetches on the black market, help of any kind is sorely needed. The San Francisco-cased company
has developed a 3D bioprinted material that is genetically similar to rhino
horn. They hope that this environmentally friendly material can be used as a
substitute, helping to reverse the dramatic drop in rhino numbers.
Currently, three of the remaining five rhino species are listed as Critically
Endangered, which means they face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Picture: © Thinkstock/iStock/Ringadingding