26/03/2025
The first artificial biological leaf, known as the "Silk Leaf," was developed by Julian Melchiorri, a graduate of the Royal College of Art, in collaboration with Tufts University's silk lab. This innovation utilizes chloroplasts extracted from plant cells and suspends them within a silk protein matrix, enabling the leaf to perform photosynthesis—absorbing water and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen, similar to natural leaves. Melchiorri envisions applications for this technology in space exploration, where it could provide a sustainable oxygen source for astronauts, as well as in urban environments to enhance air quality.