Tattooing Tardigrades

So recently, I came across this article titled “Scientist have found a way to ‘tattoo‘ tardigrades.” I was immediately intrigued and started reading.

Scientists used ice lithography, a micro fabrication technique, to tattoo tardigrades. Since tardigrades are nearly indestructible, they were the perfect test subject. To do this, researchers applied a protective anisole layer and exposed them to an electron beam, which left behind a microscopic pattern akin to a tattoo. This breakthrough shows that we now have developed techniques that “could be suitable for printing micro-electronics or sensors onto living tissue.”

This technology has the potential to revolutionize microprocessors, solar cells, and even medicine. However, the engineering aspect of this discovery is particularly intriguing. What are the advantages of using this process to create nano scale devices such as microprocessors? Could certain living organisms serve as a foundation for these biological circuits? As we continue to push the boundaries of micro fabrication and biological integration, the possibilities are expanding at an astonishing pace. The idea of embedded microprocessors seamlessly connecting humans to the internet—a concept once confined to science fiction—might soon become reality. The future isn’t just approaching; it’s unfolding right before us.