# Lightning Bolt Medicine Atmospheric Electricity Helps Create Artificial Blood Vessels By Katie Cordrey | Published 2009-12-26 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lightning-bolt-medicine References: [blogs.discovermagazine](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/tag/innovation/) & [news.discovery](http://news.discovery.com/tech/lightning-artificial-blood-vessels.html) Bert Hickman sells Lichtenberg figures in acrylic resin as [art,](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bert-hickman) but the branching, tree-like like patterns created by high voltage discharges aren’t just pretty, they may be just the lightning bolt that medicine needs to make growing artificial organs possible. According to Arul Jayaraman, a Texas A&M professor, “One of the biggest problems in tissue engineering is how to create a [vascular network](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cardiac-treatment-technology) to feed the growing tissue. The structure of these networks closely resembles the human vasculature.” Using the lightning tunnels as templates, artificial organ-feeding blood vessels might be grown. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.5/10 - Popularity: 61% | Activity: 7% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Artificial Organs:** Using lightning tunnels as templates, artificial organ-feeding blood vessels might be grown. - **Tissue Engineering:** Creating a vascular network to feed growing tissue closely resembles the human vasculature. - **Lichtenberg Figures:** The branching, tree-like patterns of high voltage discharges can be utilized in medicine for creating artificial blood vessels. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Medical Devices:** The development of artificial organs requires advancements in medical device technologies. - **Biotechnology:** Tissue engineering techniques in growing artificial organs present opportunities for biotechnology companies. - **Artificial Intelligence:** Leveraging AI algorithms can optimize the creation of artificial organ-feeding blood vessels. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Japanese Art-Inspired Oak Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/novus-collection.md) - [Lightning-Inspired Artful Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bright-light-shining.md) - [Clot-Inducing Synthetic Injectables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/synthetic-injectables.md) - [Supportive Lightning Bolt Seating](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lightning-chair.md) - [Human Physio-Themed Lamps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dif-lamp.md) - [Synthetic Fiber Heart Valves](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wyss-institute.md) - [Sculptural Biomaterial Lights](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wevolve-labs.md) - [Organic Light Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lapso.md) - [Living Printable Materials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/living-ink.md)