In 1949, famed mathematician and physicist John von Neumann delivered a series of addresses at the University of Illinois, where he introduced the concept of the "universal constructor." The theory ...

If the idea of living robots made out of frog cells isn't quite weird enough for you, how about living robots made out of frog cells with the ability to reproduce? These first-of-a-kind "Xenobots" are ...

Scientists and engineers since the 1940s have been toying with the idea of building self-replicating machines, or von Neumann machines, named for John von Neumann. With recent advances in 3D printing ...

Exactly how life first emerged from non-living matter is one of the most enduring mysteries of science. In a new study, Japanese scientists have created self-replicating protocells in the lab, which ...

Forget about generation ships, suspended animation, or the sudden appearance of a worm hole. The most likely way for aliens to visit us — whatever their motive — is by sending robotic probes. Here’s ...

“We are trying to, if you like, invent a completely new way of designing robots that doesn’t require humans to actually do the designing,” said Alan Winfield. “We’re developing the machine or robot ...

When it comes to solving the world’s development challenges, the innovation agenda needs to expand beyond the invention of cool, cutting-edge solutions, and zero in on addressing the more mundane but ...

The genome is organized into distinct 1–2 Mb bands that contain numerous origins, which are coordinated to replicate in a programmed manner during S phase. These bands represent subunits of chromosome ...

A 3D printer that could re-create itself from lunar material is in development at a university in Canada. The technology could one day enable humans to 3D-print lunar bases, as well as conduct ...