This Organism Exists in a ‘Third State’—Neither Living Nor Dead

Scientists have identified new forms of multicellular life that emerge from the cells of a deceased organism, existing in what they describe as a “third state”—a condition beyond the typical understanding of life and death.

Traditionally, death is viewed as the opposite of life, yet organ donation and similar processes highlight that certain cells and tissues can continue to function after an organism has died. Recent advancements in synthetic biology have shown how cells can be repurposed into biological robots, or biobots, further expanding the boundaries of this concept.

 

What is the “third state” of organisms?

In a study published in *Physiology*, researchers explored the possibility of using cells from either living or dead organisms to create machines with entirely new functions. This suggests the existence of a biological “third state”—one that defies the usual categories of life and death.

Biologists Peter Noble and Alex Pozhitkov, co-authors of the review, described this new phenomenon as challenging the conventional understanding of cellular behavior. They explained that biobots, or biological robots, can develop functions not predetermined by the original organism.

While some biobots last only 60 days before biodegrading, the researchers are puzzled by how these reprogrammed cells continue to function after the organism’s death. Furthermore, they are unsure of the extent to which these cells might evolve and acquire new abilities after death.

“These findings showcase the remarkable adaptability of cellular systems and challenge the belief that evolution is always predetermined,” Noble and Pozhitkov wrote. They also speculated that death could play a crucial role in how life transforms over time.

The study also discussed “anthrobots,” which are made from human cells and can be programmed to repair damaged tissues, remove cancerous cells, or deliver medications. According to the researchers, understanding how certain cells continue to operate after death could lead to significant advancements in personalized and preventive medicine.