On December 23, 2025, a team of scientists from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in South Korea made a remarkable breakthrough by successfully creating a fully biodegradable artificial synapse. Crafted from natural and environmentally friendly materials, including seashells, beans, and plant fibers, this innovative artificial synapse boasts not only stable performance but also incredibly low energy consumption. Moreover, it demonstrates an impressive memory retention time of close to 100 minutes.

This significant achievement paves a brand-new path for the advancement of sustainable neuromorphic technology. In an era where electronic waste is skyrocketing, this development offers a promising solution to ease the growing burden of e-waste. The details of this groundbreaking research have been featured in the latest edition of the prestigious Nature Communications journal.