Cells at Work

Watch: Artificial cells master a process once only done by the living

No mitochondria, but still a powerhouse.

Sacanna Lab, NYU

The lives of cells are remarkably simple and complex at the same time.

Each of the trillions of cells in your body completes pretty much the same programmed tasks all day.

BSIP/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

But it’s also really hard to create artificial, microscopic cells that can do the same things as living ones. This is because of their complex, acutely balanced ecosystems.

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