Long before the first robot hoover existed, the laws that would shape its relationship with humans had already been imagined. Almost a century before Sputnik 1 became the first artificial satellite in history, someone had dreamt it up in the pages of a book. Even cloning and the ‘de-extinction’ of species were conceived in the mind of a writer before science labs. Throughout history, science fiction has fuelled the imagination of researchers on countless occasions, driving advances that have come to change the world.

The laws of robotics in Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot (1950), space flight in Jules Verne’s From the Earth to the Moon (1865) and genetic engineering in H.G. Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896) are just three examples of how, sometimes, reading the future is the first step towards creating it. 

On the occasion of World Book Day, we explore how some of the most disruptive developments supported by CaixaResearch are turning ideas that previously only existed in science fiction into fact.

Mimicking nature to improve health

Living on a desert planet may seem impossible for a being composed of 70% water. But by observing the behaviour of native species and with the help of technology, the protagonists of Frank Herbert’s Dune saga end up designing a system of cities, suits and devices that allow them to make the most of the scarce humidity present in the environment. The fusion of biology and technology reflects the principle of biomimicry: learning from nature to resolve complex challenges. This approach continues to inspire a large number of innovations in health, such as new treatments for cancer and neurological regeneration, of which you can read more details in this article from the “la Caixa” Foundation’s MediaHub.

In the search for new ways to deliver cancer treatments to brain tumour cells, a team of researchers at Gate2Brain, a spin-off from Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, IRB Barcelona and the University of Barcelona, found the inspiration in a book. Led by Dr. Meritxell Teixidó, who received support from RecerCaixa, CaixaImpulse Validate and CaixaImpulse Consolidate, the researchers create shuttle peptides (small proteins) that act as molecular shuttles capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and take drugs directly to the brain parenchyma. The idea of crossing this barrier to cure a body had already been dreamt up by Isaac Asimov in The Fantastic Voyage (1966), when a team of miniaturised scientists were placed inside a body to repair a blood clot in the brain. Written before scientists knew such a biological barrier even existed, the book, with astonishing precision, anticipated a goal that is finally being achieved today thanks to the research carried out by Gate2Brain.

Another case is that of the zebrafish, a creature that’s able to regain its mobility just a few days after a spinal cord injury. This incredible capacity attracted the attention of Leonor Saúde, a CaixaResearch researcher at the Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine in Lisbon. Her team discovered that, because these fish never stop growing, they never stop creating neurons, so the neurons lost in the injury can be replaced with new ones. In addition, unlike what normally occurs in mammals, the lesion doesn’t scar or accumulate senescent cells. Using drugs to achieve similar results in mice, Saúde’s team was able to improve motor and sensory recovery in these animals after injury.

The creation of electronic skin

What if robotics advanced so far that it was impossible to distinguish androids from humans? In that case, perhaps empathy would be the only thing that could help us distinguish them from ourselves. The premise that Philip K. Dick plays with in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (the novel on which the film Blade Runner is based) tells of a world in which it’s possible to develop synthetic skin and organs that are so advanced they are exactly like humans. Although we’re not there yet, many scientists share this drive to develop technologies that mimic and interact with the human body.

CaixaResearch researcher Ana Pina, from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, is developing an electronic skin, or e-skin, comprising an ultra-thin biobattery made from collagen. This makes it possible to create flexible, biocompatible electronic patches capable of monitoring health, detecting diseases and regenerating tissue. “Some things are still science fiction but, for example, today it’s possible to recreate sensory dimensions in electronic skin. In other words, materials integrated within a network of sophisticated sensors are already being used that have similar properties to human skin, such as the ability to detect and respond to temperature, sweat and humidity” explains the researcher.

Ana Pina

There are still many hurdles to overcome, such as developing materials with increased biocompatibility and durability, flexible microelectronics and fully biocompatible battery materials. But there’s been a large number of advances in recent years. “Self-powered electronic skin systems are expected to make a novel contribution to a society seeking cleaner, more sustainable and efficient energy solutions. This is where our team plans to make a difference, in the development of collagen-based biobatteries that combine innovative materials with flexible microelectronics for portable applications” adds Ana Pina.

Are we going to generate human organs in animals?

Margaret Attwood’s Oryx and Crake is set in a dystopian future when biotechnology has reached levels we’re only just beginning to imagine today. Among other things, society has resolved the shortage of organs for transplants by using pigoons, genetically modified pigs in which human organs are developed. The book delves into certain bioethical debates that are present today in projects such as that of Xabier Aranguren, CaixaResearch researcher at the Centre for Applied Medical Research (CIMA).

The project he leads aims to resolve the shortage of organs for transplantation, a global medical crisis that affects thousands of people every year, by creating functional human organs (such as hearts and lungs) in pigs. “The goal of producing functional human organs in animals lies somewhere between science fact and science fiction” says Aranguren. “As a scientist, I strongly believe that animal research is a key tool for biomedical progress. In the specific case of creating organs for transplantation, we’re talking about a real possibility of saving thousands of human lives. However, that doesn’t mean we should see animals merely as resources to be exploited“.

Xabier Aranguren

According to the researcher, there are several obstacles, both scientific and social, to animal-generated human organ transplants becoming a clinical reality. “From a scientific point of view, the biggest limitation is the low integration of human cells once introduced into animal embryos. We also need to better understand how to guide tissue creation precisely, ensuring that human cells integrate only within the desired organ and not other parts of the animal” he explains. “On a social and ethical level, the challenge is to build trust. There are legitimate concerns about animal welfare, the ethical limits of using human cells and the risk of blurring the boundaries between species”.

Imagining the future to push the frontiers of knowledge

“Science fiction has imagined much of what science has achieved and will achieve in the near future. For instance, literature is full of characters who are immortal or manage to vanquish time. Currently, it has already been possible to slow down the rate of ageing in laboratory animals, which brings us closer to this dream which, until recently, was pure fantasy. The internet, artificial intelligence, the metaverse… it was all fiction before reality” says Salvador Macip, a researcher at the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC) of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, supported by “la Caixa” Foundation.

Salvador Macip

Masip is also the author of Jugar a ser dioses, whose Catalan version was awarded the European Prize for Scientific Promotion General Study (Premi Europeu de Divulgació Científica Estudi General) while its Spanish version was awarded the Premio Nacional de Edición Universitaria as the best popular science work. For the researcher, science advances non-stop and constantly poses ethical challenges we have to face. “Science doesn’t have to decide where humanity is going: that’s a job we all have to do together” he explains.

“Should the genetic manipulation of human embryos be allowed? Perhaps only under certain circumstances, such as to prevent disease? Or should we let everyone choose what they want (and can afford) for their children? This is less science fiction than it sounds. Making these decisions too late or too lightly could lead to a dystopian future” he adds. “Science fiction has always been a testing ground for new ideas. That’s its unique power. We humans are the ones who imagine, investigate and create the future but, above all, we are the ones who decide where we want to go”.