These tiny polypeptide chains are championed for their many possible applications. Indeed, in the last few years alone we've seen advances that suggest they could find use in generating new heart tissue, fighting off superbugs and the controlled release of anti-inflammatory drugs. But researchers have now developed a hydrogel that mimics the elasticity of human tissue and can be activated by exposure to light, claiming it could offer safer means of repairing wounded tissue.

In order to bestow them with enough strength and stability, some hydrogels are treated with chemical compounds, which can then over time see them degrade into harmful materials. Bioengineers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BHW) in Boston say they have overcome this problem by creating a hydrogel that becomes stronger only once it is exposed to light.