The US military’s race to make fake blood

MIT Technology Review · Andrew Rosenblum · 2026-10-14 09:00 UTC

DARPA is funding a redoubled effort to develop a shelf-stable substitute for what field medics and trauma doctors need most: more blood.

DARPA is funding a redoubled effort to develop a shelf-stable substitute for what field medics and trauma doctors need most: more blood.

Its call sign was Morphine 1-2.

In February 2007, the hulking dual-rotor casualty evacuation helicopter had just flown three wounded soldiers to a field hospital in Balad, north of Baghdad, when another call came: an emergency mission to fly through an insurgent-controlled area in broad daylight. Typically, helicopters would be in a spot like this only at night, and with all lights turned off.

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