Thoughtforms Life Engineering Agential Materials
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Jul 11, 2025 Discover how biological materials can be collaborative partners in biomedicine and bioengineering. The discussion highlights the intersection of neuroscience and behavior to innovate research funding. Explore the fascinating synergy between bioengineering and robotics, revealing the importance of sound in biological mechanisms. The talk emphasizes unique approaches, like training cells and experimenting with flatworms, to unlock new advancements in tissue engineering.
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Agential Biological Materials
- Biological materials are "agential materials" with problem-solving capacities at multiple scales.
- Understanding and collaborating with these capacities enables new bioengineering approaches.
Ectopic Eye Tadpole Anecdote
- A frog tadpole with an ectopic eye on its tail can see and learn visually.
- The optic nerve often bypasses the brain, showing huge plasticity and adaptability without evolution.
Wasp-Induced Plant Galls
- Some wasps induce plant cells to form diverse galls by hijacking plant morphogenetic programs.
- This natural 'hacking' reveals latent morphogenetic capabilities of plants previously unknown.