Bioengineers and physicians have used 3D printing and injectable gels made of living cells to create an artificial ear practically identical to a human ear.

Scientists used a 3D printer to assemble a mould of a human ear, injected it with collagen and added 250 million cartilage cells from cow ears.

Over a three-month period, the flexible ears grew cartilage to replace the collagen that was used to mould them.

The results give hope to children born with the congenital deformity microtia, in which the external ear is not fully developed, causing hearing loss.