“Dynamic DNA material with emergent locomotion behavior powered by artificial metabolism”, new in Science Robotics. Or, in pulp-speak: ‘They made tiny tentacle-robots that live and walk!’

“We are introducing a brand-new, lifelike material concept powered by its very own artificial metabolism. We are not making something that’s alive, but we are creating materials that are much more lifelike than have ever been seen before,” said Dan Luo, professor of biological and environmental engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.