Science · 13 July 2026
Scientists make bee silk in lab, creating new supermaterial
Image by vera_chitaika on Freepik
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.
Reported by ScienceAlert · How we write briefs