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884,844 views | Martin Hanczyc • TEDSalon London Spring 2011

The line between life and not-life

In his lab, Martin Hanczyc makes "protocells," experimental blobs of chemicals that behave like living cells. His work demonstrates how life might have first occurred on Earth ... and perhaps elsewhere too.

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This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

In his lab, Martin Hanczyc makes "protocells," experimental blobs of chemicals that behave like living cells. His work demonstrates how life might have first occurred on Earth ... and perhaps elsewhere too.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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Martin Hanczyc explores the path between living and nonliving systems, using chemical droplets to study behavior of the earliest cells.