Artificial cells created inside the lab have taken another major step forward, with scientists developing cells that are able to produce their own chemical energy and synthesise parts of their own construction.

That makes these artificial cells a lot more like real, biological cells – cells that can construct and organise their own building blocks naturally.

Not only could this help us understand how real cells work and come into being in the first place, it could also be vital for a host of other areas of research – such as ongoing efforts to produce artificial organs and other body tissue to fight back against disease.

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