Goodbye Concrete: Scientists Develop Self-Healing “Living Bricks”

• Mycelium and bacteria form porous, bone-like bricks that stay alive for weeks

• Material can self-repair minor cracks, reducing construction waste and emissions

• Early applications likely in lightweight panels, temporary shelters, and niche construction

Imagine walls that could repair themselves before cracks even become visible. That concept is moving closer to reality thanks to innovative research at Montana State University, where scientists have created “living bricks” using fungus and bacteria.

The team, led by researcher Ethan Viles, has developed a lightweight, bone-like material using mycelium—the root-like filaments of fungi—and a soil bacterium called Sporosarcina pasteurii, which transforms chemicals into stone. Their findings, published in Cell Reports Physical Science in April 2025, show the material remains alive for at least a month, a key milestone for future self-healing structures.

What are engineered living materials?

Engineered living materials (ELMs) combine living cells with a solid framework, allowing the material to grow, sense its environment, or repair itself. Unlike conventional concrete or plastics, these materials bring biological functions to construction, creating a tiny ecosystem within each brick.

Previous versions of living bricks were softer gels or coatings, suitable for sensors but too weak for load-bearing structures. Earlier mycelium-based bricks could be regrown in molds, but their strength and lifespan were limited once dried.

How fungus and bacteria create self-healing bricks

In the latest research, Viles and colleagues used Neurospora crassa, a species of red bread mold, to grow porous, sponge-like bricks with intricate bone-like patterns. The fungal blocks were then soaked in a solution containing urea, calcium, and Sporosarcina pasteurii. The bacteria produce calcium carbonate, cementing the mycelium scaffold into a much stiffer, mineralized structure.

Both the fungus and bacteria survived inside the mineralized blocks for at least four weeks at room temperature, allowing the material to potentially self-repair or maintain its structure over time.

Why it matters for climate and construction

Concrete production is a major contributor to global CO2 emissions, responsible for roughly 7–8% of total emissions due to the energy-intensive cement manufacturing process. Additionally, construction and demolition waste is a growing concern, with the U.S. alone generating over 600 million tons in 2018.

Living materials offer a sustainable alternative. Grown at low temperatures from biological ingredients, they could be produced near construction sites, repaired in place, or recycled by reusing the microbes—dramatically reducing emissions and construction waste compared to conventional concrete.

Challenges remain before widespread adoption

Despite the promise, living bricks are not yet ready for skyscrapers or heavy infrastructure. Their strength does not yet match standard concrete in all conditions, and experiments have so far been limited to controlled lab environments. Researchers must test their durability against extreme temperatures, weathering, and daily wear.

Early applications are expected in niche areas such as lightweight panels, temporary shelters, or remote-site structures, where transporting heavy materials is costly. Over time, if strength, cost, and safety hurdles are overcome, these self-healing materials could appear in sound-dampening wall tiles, decorative blocks, or microcrack-repairing panels in homes and commercial buildings.

This research builds on a growing global interest in biological construction materials, including freeze-dried bacteria for biocement and European projects exploring fungal walls that sense and adapt to their environment.

The Montana State University study represents an important step toward integrating living systems into our built environment, offering a glimpse of a future where walls and structures could actively maintain themselves, reducing both emissions and long-term maintenance costs.