For the First Time, Scientists Say They’ve Built a Synthetic Cell From Scratch
2nd July 2026
Scientists from the University of Minnesota say they have created the first-ever synthetic cell built entirely from scratch, and seen it go through an entire ‘life’ cycle – including reproduction.
“This is the most fascinating and important thing I’ve ever done in my work, and the realization that it’s actually happening was rather slow to sink in,” synthetic biologist Kate Adamala, a co-lead on the project told ScienceAlert.
“We’ve replicated in chemistry what only used to be possible in biology: the complete set of behaviors of a cell. It proves that the most fundamental functions of life, like growth and replication, do not need a mysterious magical spark,” she says.
*sigh* Biology IS chemistry, and that’s ALL it is. There is no Magic Secret Sauce to ‘biology’.