MAKE » Tag: Biology

How-To: DIY Bioprinter

Sean Michael Ragan — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 23:31:54 +0000

Interesting Instructable from Dr. Patrik D'haeseleer, Harvard-trained computational biologist and denizen of Sunnyvale biotech hackerspace BioCurious. Bioprinting, which is basically 3D printing with living cells, has been much in the news lately, with breathless tales of fully 3D-printed living organs and replacement body parts. There is of course a fair bit of hype going on here, but also, at the core, a body of very interesting applied research.

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Mindstorms Robotic Hand

John Baichtal — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 17:30:52 +0000

Lego builder Barman makes an amazing stab at creating a fully functional Lego hand. My favorite detail is the motor that makes the fingers spread apart, which is a humanlike feature that most robot builders neglect. The hand holds 4 NXT motors to control the fingers and thumb. The 4 […]

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Bacteria Battery

makemagazineuser — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:57:41 +0000

Microbial fuel cells generate electricity from "metal-breathing" bacteria in ordinary mud.

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Jellyfish Tank

makemagazineuser — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:45:14 +0000

A tank of healthy jellyfish is hypnotically beautiful. Unfortunately, jellies can’t live in a regular aquarium because they get sucked into the filtration pumps or trapped in “dead spots” at the edges. This special design creates a laminar flow that keeps jellies safely suspended in the middle of the tank.

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The Truth Meter

makemagazineuser — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:42:11 +0000

By Sean M. Montgomery and Ira M. Laefsky Excerpted from a Primer on Biosensing in MAKE Volume 26. When you experience an arousing stimulus, like an evocative question, a startling noise, or even a disturbing thought, your body generates a variety of psychophysical responses. One of these is micro-pulses of […]

Tabletop Biosphere

makemagazineuser — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:35:11 +0000

Create a fun demonstration of the ecological cycles that keep us alive.

Home Mycology Lab

makemagazineuser — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:35:08 +0000

Use an off-the-shelf home air purifier to culture and grow mushrooms.

Home Molecular Genetics

makemagazineuser — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:35:08 +0000

Working directly with DNA isn't only for the labs of CSI, agribusiness, and headline-grabbing research institutions. It's basic chemistry, but it uses the molecules of life. You can even do it at home. This project explains how you can isolate and even "fingerprint" some of your own DNA.

How to: Make Bacterial Broth/Agar

makemagazineuser — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 21:48:12 +0000

How to make the liquid and solid growth media used to select and propagate bacteria in science labs, using only materials you can find in a day's shopping.

Simon Park’s Bacterial Art

John Baichtal — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 19:00:08 +0000

Simon Park’s textile designs are created with social and antisocial bacteria. These are examples from a series of works featuring purely biogenic designs, which explore the inherent creativity of, and which use nature, to directly generate textile designs. Physarum polycephalum is an intriguing and striking microorganism that exhibits simple “intelligence”. […]

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