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Scientist creates lifelike cells out of metal
Researcher says he has created living cells made of metal instead of carbon — and they may be evolving.
Fri, Sep 16 2011 at 1:38 AM
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Photo: p.Gordon/Flickr
Scientists trying to create artificial life generally work under the assumption that life must be carbon-based, but what if a living thing could be made from another element?
One British researcher may have proven that theory, potentially rewriting the book of life. Lee Cronin of the University of Glasgow has created lifelike cells from metal — a feat few believed feasible. The discovery opens the door to the possibility that there may be life forms in the universe not based on carbon, reports New Scientist.
Even more remarkable, Cronin has hinted that the metal-based cells may be replicating themselves and evolving.
"I am 100 percent positive that we can get evolution to work outside organic biology," he said.
The high-functioning "cells" that Cronin has built are constructed from large polyoxometalates derived from a range of metal atoms, like tungsten. He gets them to assemble in bubbly spheres by mixing them in a specialized saline solution, and calls the resultant cell-like structures "inorganic chemical cells," or iCHELLs.
The metallic bubbles are certainly cell-like, but are they actually alive? Cronin has made a compelling case for the comparison by constructing the iCHELLS with a number of features that make them function much as real cells do. For instance, by modifying the outer oxide structure of the bubbles so that they are porous, he has essentially built iCHELLs with membranes capable of selectively allowing chemicals in and out according to size, much as what happens with the walls of real cells.
Cronin's team has also created bubbles inside of bubbles, which opens the door to the possibility of developing specialized "organelles." Even more compelling, some of the iCHELLs are being equipped with the ability to photosynthesize. The process is still rudimentary, but by linking some oxide molecules to light sensitive dyes, the team has constructed a membrane that splits water into hydrogen ions, electrons and oxygen when illuminated — which is how photosynthesis begins in real cells.
Of course, the most compelling lifelike quality of the iCHELLs so far is their ability to evolve. Although they aren't equipped with anything remotely resembling DNA, and therefore can't replicate themselves in the same way that real cells do, Cronin has nevertheless managed to create some polyoxometalates that can use each other as templates to self-replicate. Furthermore, he is currently embarked on a seven-month experiment to see if iCHELLs placed in different environments will evolve.
The early results have been encouraging. "I think we have just shown the first droplets that can evolve," Cronin hinted.
Though the idea of a strange new metal-based form of life rapidly evolving in a lab somewhere on Earth may sound ominous, the finding could forever change how life is defined. It also greatly improves the odds of life existing elsewhere in the universe, since life forms could potentially be built from any number of different elements.
The possibilities are exciting to imagine, even if Cronin's iCHELLs eventually fall short of full-blown living cells. His research may have already blown the door off previous paradigms about the conditions necessary for life to form.
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this really is fascinating, although it might not have any real "applications" it could certainly prove some things about life that were just hypothesis before.
God has nothing to do with this. Just because illuminated means to show light upon something doesn't have any relation to god.
Time to go back to the 12th century when sane people actually believed that rubbish.
Isn't DNA an essential component in evolution, along with some sort of metabolism?
Could this be anything like John Carpenter's 1982 The Thing? At all, in all possibilities considered?
This is a bit sketchy as someone else pointed out. First of all, an article that doesn't even include accurate scientific terms I don't trust. Only plants have cell "walls", most cells have cell membranes. In addition, many objects can have selective permeability, a synthetic dialysis "cell" used in basic level classes has selective permeability.
This is not a new discovery. It has been mentioned in different articles on several occasions.
technology like this could have serious applications, if you could control the way the "cells" replicate you could possibly create aircraft or vehicles that could heal themselves. got into an accident? no biggie just park it and she'll be running like a top by morning!
Capillary tubes are selectively permeable, not life. Chambers within chambers really isn't anything new, or lifelike. Evolution? Why don't you explain it a bit more, I'm under the impression that if they run into each other they combine into one bubble like two soap bubbles might. This guy might just be the new Darwin, but I doubt it.
This is really neat and the technological implications are staggering... but does anyone else remember what happened in the Terminator series and every other movie that had robots/machines rise up against humans? Just sayin'
This whole thing seems a little sketchy... Sure you might be able to get these things to do specific "tasks", but I don't believe they are alive.
it it just mercury
not quite. as said in the post, it's full of bubbles, and has a specific membrane. it's quite complicated.
DAMMIT SKYNET! This is how it starts!
while i agree it is very cool and thought provoking, it is not new - I saw this demonstration in my HS science class in 1999... the evolution part however, is just silly
Brilliant, this is my adviser for my 4th year chemistry project!
Lifelike, not life.
Ah but what is life but something which we have defined. an actual state from a view of a natural world, illogical, nature shows no care to disgusting between I and a rock, only the words of man separate me from it such.
has anyone ever seen the show stargate? This is how the replicators work and that did not end well
This isn't at all like stargate replicators.
Exactly what I was thinking...it's still really neat to think about though. Science Fiction "does" have a tendency to become Science Fact.
So there is a possibility of autobots and decepticons
and cybertron?
not necessarily, but it does mean there is a possibility of aliens on planets that were previously thought unable to sustain life.
their not robots, their creatures (almost) made out of different stuff. thats the whole point of the experiment. to prove/disprove that it's possible
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