The world’s first luxury handbag made from a material grown in a laboratory has been unveiled in Amsterdam. It mimics the skin of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and could sell for around 575,000 euros. The bag was made from a material derived from the reconstruction of the dinosaur’s protein sequences. Although the Tyrannosaurus died out 66 million years ago, scientists used collagen preserved in fossils and artificial intelligence to fill in the missing protein fragments.
The resulting genetic “blueprint” was introduced into cells, enabling the growth of a material resembling dinosaur skin. It took on a blue-green hue and became a luxurious handbag adorned with silver and black diamonds. The sample was exhibited at the Amsterdam Museum alongside a full-scale model of the dinosaur.
The authors of the project note that this technology will, in the future, allow the creation of ethical alternatives to fur and leather without killing animals. At the same time, the material has retained the important properties of real leather – smell, durability, and appearance. Although this is currently a unique example, scientists are already studying the feasibility of applying the technology to large-scale production.
