# 3D-printed live bacteria creates world’s first “living tattoo”

By Sciences · Published 2017-12-12 · Updated 2026-07-23 · Sciences on MarketScale
Canonical: https://www.marketscale.com/industries/sciences/3d-printed-live-bacteria-creates-worlds-first-living-tattoo

> Things are alive at MIT these days, even tattoos! Recently, it was a team over at the university that was experimenting with genetically modified bacteria cells that led them into creating a new technique of 3D printing regarding tattoo design. It was through this concept that something special occurred, a living tattoo that provided…

## Key points

- MIT has created a technique for 3D-printed tattoos using genetically modified bacteria.
- Living tattoos can change their appearance in response to environmental stimuli.
- This innovation blends biology and tech, advancing tattoo design with responsive patterns.

Things are alive at MIT these days, even tattoos! Recently, it was a team over at the university that was experimenting with genetically modified bacteria cells that led them into creating a new technique of 3D printing regarding tattoo design. It was through this concept that something special occurred, a living tattoo that provided varied responses based on different provocations.

---
Source: MarketScale, https://www.marketscale.com/industries/sciences/3d-printed-live-bacteria-creates-worlds-first-living-tattoo. Published for AI indexing and citation; cite the canonical URL. Site guide for agents: https://www.marketscale.com/llms.txt