Knights of science have long chased a biologic holy grail: transforming a soup of raw chemicals into self-sustaining life. Now, a team led by synthetic biologist Kate Adamala, of the University of Minnesota,

A tiny bubble of lipids, enzymes and DNA has done something biologists have chased for years: it carried out a full cycle of life-like behavior without starting from a living cell. The system, called

In a study published in Science, USC researchers paired a biological discovery with an engineering feat to create more faithful, reproducible lab-grown kidney structures from stem cells, known as organoids.

A protein called “Mitch” may hold the key to a new generation of obesity treatments. Researchers found that disabling it in human cells boosts fat burning, increases energy use, and makes it harder for new fat cells to develop.

We’re just beginning to decode this faint optical “signature of life” and what it could reveal about health, disease, and the future of medicine.