At certain points during an embryo’s development, its tissues evolve into the forms the organism will need to function. In this sculpting process, called morphogenesis, the cells exert a dynamic set of mechanical forces to push and prod their tissues into suitable shape. Faulty morphogenesis causes congenital anomalies, or birth defects.

Writing in Nature Materials, a team led by Eirini Maniou, Nicola Elvassore and Gabriel Galea now describe a squishy, sensitive force sensor that can quantify the dynamic mechanical work performed by tissues during morphogenesis. Although they use their sensor to measure the biomechanical forces directing neural tube closure, or neurulation, the technology can be adapted to other morphogenetic regions of interest.