Researchers have made a major breakthrough regarding genetically engineered wood, and it could revolutionize the push for green construction practices. According to Innovation News Network, scientists have created a form of poplar wood that is as strong as chemically treated wood and on par with aluminum in terms of tensile strength… They accomplished this by using base editing to affect a key genome in poplar trees that deals with the production of lignin…By genetically removing that lignin from the wood before the trees have grown, scientists can reduce our reliance on harmful chemicals and further reduce the carbon footprint of construction.