TED Fellow Andrew Pelling is a biohacker, and nature is his hardware. His favorite materials are the simplest ones (and oftentimes he finds them in the garbage). Building on the cellulose structure that gives an apple its shape, he "grows" lifelike human ears, pioneering a process that might someday be used to repair body parts safely and cheaply. And he has some even wilder ideas to share ... "What I'm really curious about is if one day it will be possible to repair, rebuild and augment our own bodies with stuff we make in the kitchen," he says.

Andrew Pelling: This scientist makes ears out of apples

This scientist makes ears out of apples

Asparagus' structure inspires a novel approach to potentially repair damaged nerves, showcasing bioengineering's future.

Transforming apple cellulose into human tissue scaffolds offers a low-cost, accessible method for regenerative medicine.

Exploring asparagus for neural repair could revolutionize treatments for nerve damage and spinal injuries, using nature's designs.