3D bioprinting, in which living tissues are printed with cells mixed into soft hydrogels, or “bio-inks,” is widely used in the field of bioengineering for modeling or replacing the tissues in our bodies. The print quality and reproducibility of tissues, however, can face challenges. One of the most significant challenges is created simply by gravity — cells naturally sink to the bottom of the bioink-extruding printer syringe because the cells are heavier than the hydrogel around them.

“This cell settling, which becomes worse during the long print sessions required to print large tissues, leads to clogged nozzles, uneven cell distribution, and inconsistencies between printed tissues,” explains Ritu Raman, the Eugene Bell Career Development Professor of Tissue Engineering and assistant professor of mechanical engineering at MIT. “Existing solutions, such as manually stirring bioinks before loading them into the printer, or using passive mixers, cannot maintain uniformity once printing begins.”

In a study published Feb. 2 in the journal Device, Raman’s team introduces a new approach that aims to solve this core limitation by actively preventing cell sedimentation within bioinks during printing, allowing for more reliable and biologically consistent 3D printed tissues.

“Precise control over the bioink’s physical and biological properties is essential for recreating the structure and function of native tissues,” says Ferdows Afghah, a postdoc in mechanical engineering at MIT and lead author of the study.

“If we can print tissues that more closely mimic those in our bodies, we can use them as models to understand more about human diseases, or to test the safety and efficacy of new therapeutic drugs,” adds Raman. Such models could help researchers move away from techniques like animal testing, which supports recent interest from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in developing faster, less expensive, and more informative new approaches to establish the safety and efficacy of new treatment paths.

“Eventually, we are working towards regenerative medicine applications such as replacing diseased or injured tissues in our bodies with 3D printed tissues that can help restore healthy function,” says Raman.

MagMix, a magnetically actuated mixer, is composed of two parts: a small magnetic propeller that fits inside the syringes used by bioprinters to deposit bioinks, layer by layer, into 3D tissues, and a permanent magnet attached to a motor that moves up and down near the syringe, controlling the movement of the propeller inside. Together, this compact system can be mounted onto any standard 3D bioprinter, keeping bioinks uniformly mixed during printing without changing the bioink formulation or interfering with the printer’s normal operation. To test the approach, the team used computer simulations to design the optimal mixing propeller geometry and speed and then validated its performance experimentally.

“Across multiple bioink types, MagMix prevented cell settling for more than 45 minutes of continuous printing, reducing clogging and preserving high cell viability,” says Raman. “Importantly, we showed that mixing speeds could be adjusted to balance effective homogenization for different bioinks while inducing minimal stress on the cells. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrated that MagMix could be used to 3D print cells that could mature into muscle tissues over the course of several days.”

By maintaining uniform cell distribution throughout long or complex print jobs, MagMix enables the fabrication of high-quality tissues with more consistent biological function. Because the device is compact, low-cost, customizable, and easily integrated into existing 3D printers, it offers a broadly accessible solution for laboratories and industries working toward reproducible engineered tissues for applications in human health including disease modeling, drug screening, and regenerative medicine.

This work was supported, in part, by the Safety, Health, and Environmental Discovery Lab (SHED) at MIT, which provides infrastructure and interdisciplinary expertise to help translate biofabrication innovations from lab-scale demonstrations to scalable, reproducible applications.

“At the SHED, we focus on accelerating the translation of innovative methods into practical tools that researchers can reliably adopt,” says Tolga Durak, the SHED’s founding director. “MagMix is a strong example of how the right combination of technical infrastructure and interdisciplinary support can move biofabrication technologies toward scalable, real-world impact.”

The SHED’s involvement reflects a broader vision of strengthening technology pathways that enhance reproducibility and accessibility across engineering and the life sciences by providing equitable access to advanced equipment and fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration.

“As the field advances toward larger-scale and more standardized systems, integrated labs like SHED are essential for building sustainable capacity,” Durak adds. “Our goal is not only to enable discovery, but to ensure that new technologies can be reliably adopted and sustained over time.”

The team is also interested in non-medical applications of engineered tissues, such as using printed muscles to power safer and more efficient “biohybrid” robots.

The researchers believe this work can improve the reliability and scalability of 3D bioprinting, making the potential impacts on the field of 3D bioprinting and on human health significant. Their paper, “Advancing Bioink Homogeneity in Extrusion 3D Bioprinting with Active In Situ Magnetic Mixing,” is available now from the journal Device. 

If you’ve been thinking about documenting your life, whether it’s the exciting or mundane stuff, this might just be your moment. This GoPro Hero 13 Black bundle includes a variety of useful accessories, as well as a full suite of interchangeable lenses. It’s currently marked down to just $550 on Amazon, a $200 discount from its usual price.

The biggest change to this generation of GoPro action cameras is the interchangeable lens system, and this kit comes loaded with basically every lens an aspiring filmmaker could ask for. That includes the ultrawide lens mod, which boosts the field of view to 177 degrees, an anamorphic lens and filters, and a macro lens for beautiful close-up shots. While it doesn’t come with a ton of attachments, it does have a case for carrying everything, and basic adhesives to get you started.

The downside here is that GoPro is still using the same sensor and processor as previous models, for better or worse. It’s one of the highest resolution and frame rate offerings you can get, with its 27-megapixel sensor producing up to 5.3K video, and up to 120 fps, although only for five seconds at a time at the highest resolution. Unfortunately, this GoPro, like others before it, still struggles in dim lighting. That said, there are some improvements to the HDR that our reviewer Scott Gilbertson said made a big difference when it came time to start editing.

Even with an upgraded battery, the stamina can be lackluster, lasting just one or two hours depending on how warm the camera gets. Thankfully, a new pass-through charging port allows you to hook up a power bank and keep filming for much longer. There are some other quality-of-life upgrades too, like a magnetic mounting system that makes swapping from surf to sand even easier.

The Hero 13 Black is our favorite GoPro, but there’s a whole world of action cameras for your next adventure, so make sure to check out our full guide if you’re curious about other options. Otherwise, this big bundle includes everything you need to get out and start shooting for just $550.

By early October, the ICE surge team was working through the government shutdown, even as other critical government work was put on hold. Days after the shutdown began, GSA was still awarding leases. On October 6, 2025, a signed internal memorandum stated that GSA should “approve of all new lease housing determinations associated with ICE hiring surge,” in light of ICE’s “urgent” space requirements and the purported impact of delays on the agency’s ability to “meet critical immigration enforcement deadlines.”

On October 9, the same day that Trump announced in a cabinet meeting that the government would be making “permanent” cuts from “Democrat programs” during the shutdown, GSA received a list from OPLA with requests for office locations, including expansions and new leases, in 41 cities around the country.

In a memorandum dated October 29, 2025, a representative from Homeland Security Investigations—one of the two major departments within ICE, along with ERO, and tasked with a wide range of investigative work in cases ranging from human trafficking to art theft—asked GSA’s office of general counsel to engage in nationwide lease acquisition on behalf of DHS “using the unusual and compelling urgency justification,” in accordance with Trump’s executive immigration order.

“If HSI cannot effectively obtain office space in a timely manner, HSI will be adversely impacted in accomplishing its mission—a mission that is inextricably tied to the Administration’s priority in protecting the American People Against Invasion,” the memorandum states.

By early November, according to documents viewed by WIRED, 19 projects had been awarded in cities around the US, including Nashville, Tennessee; Dallas, Texas; Sacramento, California; and Tampa, Florida. Multiple projects were days away from being awarded in Miami, Florida; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and New Orleans, Louisiana, among others, and emergency requests for short-term space had been made in eight cities, including Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; and Newark, New Jersey.

In documents viewed by WIRED, ICE has repeatedly outlined its expansion to cities around the US. The September memorandum citing “unusual and compelling urgency” for office expansion states that OPLA will be “expanding its legal operations” into Birmingham, Alabama; Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, and Tampa, Florida; Des Moines, Iowa; Boise, Idaho; Louisville, Kentucky; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Grand Rapids, Michigan; St. Louis, Missouri; Raleigh, North Carolina; Long Island, New York; Columbus, Ohio; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Richmond, Virginia; Spokane, Washington and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The memorandum also states that the existing offices are at maximum capacity and will “require additional space” to accommodate the new employees hired. At the time, the memo states that OPLA had selected almost 1,000 attorneys to hire.

Months after the “surge” began, ICE’s expansion to American cities is well underway, according to documentation viewed by WIRED. The table below gives a detailed listing of planned ICE lease locations as of January, and includes current ICE offices that are set to expand and new spaces the agency is poised to occupy. It does not include more than 100 planned ICE locations across many states—including California, New York, and New Jersey—where WIRED has not viewed every specific address.