The silk road The fashion staple has great potential in the health industry

It’s smooth and shimmery nature has made it a stalwart in the fashion world – and silk could soon be the next medical wonder. Scientists from Purdue University have engineered silkworms to produce a light-activated silk that can kill harmful pathogens and be used to purify air or make bandages. Meanwhile, a team at the University of Connecticut has created a strong silk that can stabilise bones after fractures and will degrade inside the body, removing the need for extra surgery. If that’s not enough, a strong, stretchy and cheap product, made from a combination of silk and a material found in trees, could one day be used to replace tendons. What a champion!