--- title: "3D-Printed Human Skin and Bone Could Save Astronauts on Mars" description: "Scientists 3D printed skin and bone samples upside down to see if astronauts on Mars could use the technology in low-gravity environments." date: "2019-07-10" modified: "2019-07-10" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/3d-printed-human-skin-bone-astronauts-mars" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Mars" - "Space" tags: - "3d printed bone" - "3d printed skin" - "3d printing" - "the digest" --- # 3D-Printed Human Skin and Bone Could Save Astronauts on Mars ![Scientists 3D printed skin and bone samples upside down to see if astronauts on Mars could use the technology in low-gravity environments.]() *\Image: University Hospital of Dresden Technical University\* ## Skin and Bone Scientists from the University Hospital of Dresden Technical University (TUD) in Germany [just 3D printed]() skin and bone samples to see if astronauts on Mars could use the technology in low-gravity environments. The research is part of the European Space Agency's 3D Printing of Living Tissue for Space Exploration project, a mission to explore different ways astronauts could recover from injuries in distant places in our solar system — like Mars or deep space. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t7aHnIfVAo The team of scientists used "bio ink" made out of human blood plasma to minimize chances of body rejection. To stop the ink from flying off in droplets, they mixed in algae-based materials to increase viscosity — a material that could be grown in the spacecrafts of the future. "Astronauts could obtain these \[algae-based\] substances from plants and algae respectively, a feasible solution for a self-contained space expedition," said Nieves Cubo from TUD in a [statement](). ## Calcium and Algae https://youtu.be/-CDBZQ0ckLw Eventually, the idea is that the new tools with let astronauts treat injuries when they're millions of miles from the nearest hospital. "Instead, a 3D bioprinting capability will let them respond to medical emergencies as they arise," said project leader Tommaso Ghidini. "In the case of burns, for instance, brand new skin could be bioprinted instead of being grafted from elsewhere on the astronaut’s body, doing secondary damage that may not heal easily in the orbital environment." **READ MORE:** [Scientists 3D-print human skin and bone for Mars astronauts]() \[*CNET*\] **More on 3D printing:** *[Prepping for Surgery With 3D-Printed Organs May Become Commonplace]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()