An Era of Unlimited Rhino Horns
We have entered the era of unlimited replica rhino horns. I’m not sure I’ve ever written as silly a serious sentence but it is true. In an interesting attempt to discourage the ivory trade, a Seattle based biotech firm named Pembient has created a synthetic rhinoceros horn using keratin and a 3D printer. Keratin is the substance hair, fingernails, and rhino horns are made of. The goal is to produce a biofabricated horn that is indistinguishable from the real thing on all but a cellular level and to thus save the endangered rhinoceros. Welcome to 2018, the year of good people doing good things with the grace of knowledge, talent and technology available to them. This might seem redundant but it is constantly amazing how much knowledge and technology is available for free to anyone with an Internet connection. One can earn a university level education by taking courses available […]