Slashdot Mirror


Researcher Builds Life-Like Cells Made of Metal

Sven-Erik writes "Could living things that evolved from metals be clunking about somewhere in the universe? In a lab in Glasgow, UK, one man is intent on proving that metal-based life is possible. He has managed to build cell-like bubbles from giant metal-containing molecules and has given them some life-like properties. He now hopes to induce them to evolve into fully inorganic self-replicating entities. 'I am 100 per cent positive that we can get evolution to work outside organic biology,' says Lee Cronin at the University of Glasgow. His building blocks are large 'polyoxometalates' made of a range of metal atoms — most recently tungsten — linked to oxygen and phosphorus. By simply mixing them in solution, he can get them to self-assemble into cell-like spheres."

1 of 259 comments (clear)

  1. Complexity canard. by TapeCutter · · Score: 1, Troll

    Two points.
    1. The first living cells were nowhere near as complex as modern cells.
    2. ATP is an evolutionary adaptation it was not a feature of the first cells.

    And a suggestion; You can believe any one of the thousands of different creation myths and nobody will give a rat's arse, but please stop trying to use science to support your anti-science, it makes you look foolish and it annoys the hell out of people who have even the foggiest idea what they are talking about..

    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.