A team of researchers at Montana State University has developed a new type of building material made from fungi and bacteria, offering a promising alternative to traditional construction materials like concrete.
The innovative material, detailed in a study published this month in Cell Reports Physical Science, could one day lead to self-healing buildings and more sustainable construction methods.
These Engineered Living Materials (ELM) are made by combining mycelium, a thread-like part of fungi, with a type of bacteria called Sporosarcina pasteurii, which is often found in soil and can help form minerals.
Researchers grew dense scaffolds of mycelium, then introduced the bacteria, which produced calcium carbonate, a mineral compound found in coral and limestone, that hardened the fungal structure.
Why It Matters
The organisms chosen are safe, well-studied and highly capable of forming durable structures, with live bacteria currently being maintained in the structures for at least a month, a significant improvement over previous efforts.
The extended viability of the living cells marks a breakthrough. Many existing engineered living materials lose functionality within days or weeks. In contrast, this material retained its biological properties for several weeks, potentially enabling features such as self-repair, environmental sensing or even adaptive behaviour.
Get the Green Building Project Checklist
Use this handy checklist on your next project to keep track of all the ways you can make your home more energy-efficient and sustainable.
Built Like Bone, Designed for the Future
Another key advantage lies in internal architecture. Using the mycelium scaffold, the researchers designed complex internal geometries that mimic the structure of natural bone, which could improve strength while keeping the material lightweight.
Although the material is not yet strong enough to replace concrete in all applications, its potential in low-load structures, environmental infrastructure or remote-area construction is considerable. There are still challenges in terms of strength and scale, but this is a major step forward.
What’s Next?
Future research will focus on improving the durability of the microbial components, optimizing the material’s strength and exploring scalable production methods.
The team also plans to investigate potential use cases such as crack repair in masonry or biosensing within smart structures.
The breakthrough adds momentum to the growing field of engineered living materials, as scientists seek ways to create sustainable, adaptable and biologically active materials for the built environment.
Images from Depositphotos
