Lead researcher Eric Vilain, from the UniversityofCalifornia, Los Angeles, said: "Our approach suppliesoneanswer to theenduringquest forreliablemarkers of ageing."
Several institutions, such as the Franklin W. Olin College, Lindenwood University, and QuestUniversity in Canada, have adopted such a policy and have experienced some early successes.
By combining an artist and scientific quest, the two professors at Michigan State University found that a certain type of metal-loving bacteria can transform high amounts of the toxic chemical compound gold chloride from a liquid into solid 24-karat gold.