Science · 13 July 2026
Scientists make bee silk in lab, creating new supermaterial
Around three-quarters of all bee species make silk to protect their young from parasites and moisture. Researchers created a film of bee silk from blue orchard bees, a solitary species, by isolating fibres from larvae and producing the proteins from scratch. The breakthrough could lead to new lightweight, tough, and biodegradable materials for uses like surgical sutures.
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