Xenobots: Living Robots That Self-Replicate Without DNA

Scientists have created the impossible: living robots that can reproduce themselves without DNA. These remarkable biological machines, called xenobots, represent a breakthrough that challenges our fundamental understanding of life and reproduction. **Xenobots are programmable organisms made from African clawed frog cells that can swim, heal, store information, and most remarkably, create copies of themselves through a process called kinematic self-replication**—a form of reproduction never before observed in nature. ## The Birth of Living Machines Developed by researchers at the University of Vermont, Tufts University, and Harvard's Wyss Institute, xenobots emerged from an ambitious fusion of artificial intelligence, biology, and robotics. Using frog embryonic stem cells from _Xenopus laevis_, scientists created organisms less than a millimeter wide that blur the line between biology and technology. **Douglas Blackiston**, senior scientist at Tufts University, explains the profound nature of this discovery: "No animal or plant known to science replicates in this way. People have thought for quite a long time that we've worked out all the ways that life can reproduce or replicate. But this is something that's never been observed before." ## How Xenobots Reproduce Without DNA Traditional reproduction relies on genetic material being passed from parent to offspring. Xenobots discovered an entirely different approach—**kinematic self-replication**—where movement and physical gathering create new life. The process unfolds like a biological Pac-Man game: - Parent xenobots swim using hairlike cilia - They corral hundreds of loose stem cells into piles - Over five days, these cells compress and organize into offspring - New xenobots emerge from the parent's wedge-shaped "mouth" - The cycle continues for up to four generations **Sam Kriegman**, lead researcher now at Harvard's Wyss Institute, notes: "With the right design—they will spontaneously self-replicate." ## AI Designs the Perfect Shape Creating effective xenobots required testing billions of possible body configurations. The team used UVM's Deep Green supercomputer to run evolutionary algorithms that tested triangles, squares, pyramids, and countless other shapes. The AI discovered that a **C-shaped design resembling Pac-Man** proved most efficient at gathering cells for reproduction. This unexpected finding demonstrates how artificial intelligence can uncover solutions that human intuition might miss. **Joshua Bongard**, robotics expert at the University of Vermont, emphasizes the collaborative potential: "We're working to understand this property: replication. The broader question is: what else are they capable of?" ## Revolutionary Applications on the Horizon Xenobots open unprecedented possibilities across multiple fields: **Medical Applications:** - Targeted drug delivery systems - Producing insulin within the body - Repairing damaged tissues - Detecting and treating cancer cells - Supporting [breakthrough gene therapies](/health/fda-breakthrough-therapy-gene-therapies-rare-diseases-2025) for rare diseases **Environmental Solutions:** - Removing microplastics from oceans - Cleaning up radioactive contamination - Monitoring ecosystem health - Restoring damaged environments **Research Advancement:** - Understanding cellular communication - Developing new regenerative therapies - Creating designer biological tools - Advancing synthetic biology ## Safety and Ethical Considerations The research team emphasizes that xenobots are created and contained within controlled laboratory environments. These organisms are **biodegradable**, living only seven days in standard conditions, and require specific temperatures and environments to function. **Michael Levin**, director of Tufts' Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, addresses concerns: "These cells have the genome of a frog, but, freed from becoming a tadpole, they use their collective intelligence, a plasticity, to do something astounding." ## The Future of Living Technology Xenobots represent the beginning of a new era where the boundaries between biology and technology dissolve. By combining living cells with AI design principles, researchers have created entities that challenge our definitions of life, reproduction, and artificial intelligence. The implications extend far beyond current applications. As scientists develop [guidance systems for biological machines](/technology/ai-agents-workplace-productivity-2025) and create libraries of cellular modules, we may witness the emergence of entirely new forms of life designed to solve humanity's greatest challenges. This breakthrough in [synthetic biology](/science/materials-defy-physics-laws-impossible-properties) suggests a future where living robots work alongside traditional technology, offering solutions that are both powerful and environmentally sustainable. The question isn't whether this technology will transform our world—it's how quickly we can harness its potential responsibly. ## Sources 1. [University of Vermont News](https://www.uvm.edu/uvmnews/news/team-builds-first-living-robots-can-reproduce) - Primary research announcement 2. [Tufts University Research](https://now.tufts.edu/2021/11/29/first-scientists-create-tiny-multicellular-organisms-can-replicate) - Technical details and applications 3. [Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences](https://www.pnas.org/) - Peer-reviewed research publication 4. [Harvard Wyss Institute](https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/team-builds-first-living-robots-that-can-reproduce/) - Research collaboration details 5. [IEEE Pulse](https://www.embs.org/pulse/articles/ai-designed-living-robots-can-self-replicate/) - Technical analysis and implications