INCREDIBLE SCIENCE BREAKTHROUGHS FOR 2026

Look out for 3D-printed organs, terabit Starlink broadband, DNA-personalised medication and other mega milestones, launches and achievements this year

- COTT DUTFIELD

PRINTING NEW ORGANS

In 2026, we could see big strides in bioprinting. The technology uses cell-laden ‘bioink’ to print out living tissue in a similar layer-by-layer way to a typical 3D printer. However, the technology is

still in its infancy, having been invented in the 1980s. One of the biggest challenges of bioprinting is inconsistency and errors in depositing bioink. But there’s hope on the horizon for more accurate printing. In 2025, scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) developed a monitoring technique that uses a digital microscope to capture high-resolution images of the tissue during printing, comparing it to the initial design with the help of AI image-analysis software. The method will improve real-time inspection and even automation of tissue printing in the future. Scientists have since been able to print different living tissues, including skin, bladders, windpipes and even blood vessels. One of the most ambitious bioprints was carried out this year, involving printing a corneal implant made from corneal endothelial cells, which form the lining of blood vessels, before it was implanted in human patients as part of a trial study. The results will be revealed in the second half of 2026.

QUANTUM COMPUTING