Human civilization has wiped out 50% of the trees on earth in the last century alone, and within another 100 years all rainforests will be wiped off the face of the earth.
These forests are described as the lungs of the world, as they absorb the emissions of our daily activities and the toxic gases they leave behind that have caused the planet's temperature to rise. They also produce quantities of oxygen that pump life around the globe.
The episode (4/1/2023) of the “Smart Life” program reviewed the success of scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in devising a new way to save wood without the need to cut down more trees, based on the invention on printing wood through 3D printers. Dimensions are from the cells of a flowering plant known as "common zinnia" (Zinnia elegans).
According to scientists, it is possible to multiply this plant, allowing wood to be printed in any shape and size.
Zinnia cells are treated with a liquid, then a viscous solution of hormones and nutrients. By varying the concentration of these hormones, researchers can control the hardness, density, and many other physical and mechanical properties of the plant material grown in the lab.
The research group from the University of Massachusetts has established a company to continue developing new techniques and methods for increasing the cultivation of wood in the laboratory, and the company plans to clone the cells of other plants such as pine trees to provide the required diversity of wood and completely eliminate the need for logging and clearing of live forests.