Could this future technology– a manmade silk leaf–actually produce more oxygen for the environment?

Royal College of Art graduate Julian Melchiorri seems to have proven that it can. His future technology project saw him develop a silk blend fiber that is capable of performing like a real leaf when provided with light and water. As crazy as it might seem, this leaf could actually create leaps and bounds in space exploration, alongside making the air we breathe on Earth cleaner and healthier.

Melchiorri’s leaf is made from a matrix of protein extracted from silk fiber blended with chloroplasts, which are plant cell organelles that plants an algae use to perform photosynthesis. When given the right conditions with enough light and water, the synthetic silk leaf acts just like a real leaf, producing oxygen and releasing it into the atmosphere. 

The silk leaf has initially been put to a test by Melchiorri as a simple light fixture that can be used inside apartments and houses, keeping the air clean and fresh as an indoor plant would. On a larger scale, his formula could be used on the sides of buildings and ventilation systems to create oxygen in large, polluted cities. Not to mention, the green, photosynthetic sides of buildings would present a new and bright kind of vision for a “living wall”.

As an extremely light and energy efficient creation, the silk leaf would not only be a sustainable solution for a healthier planet we call home, but a possible solution for astronauts traveling to space. NASA has invested many years and finances into creating ways to provide enough oxygen for space travel, and Melchiorri believes that his silk leaf could be the solution for further space exploration.

Watch this interview with Mr. Melchiorri himself explaining the development of his incredible invention and the astronomical future he sees for it:

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Image: Julian Melchiorri

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