
Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that Lego bricks were perfect for their research into microfluidics. Instead of working on a lab-on-a-chip design, they used the existing standardized form of the Lego to create a modular system of tubes and ports that can be rearranged easily. After all, that’s exactly what Legos are designed to do, snapping in and out of place. The biggest problem with the system is that Legos are still made of relatively weak plastic, so one of the next stages of the experiment might be to make identical bricks out of different polymers so that they can be used to transport more caustic chemical agents.
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