Leading scientists, including Nobel Prize winners, are calling for a stop to research on “mirror life” microbes, warning they could pose serious risks to humans, animals, and plants. 

They’re worried these microbes, made from flipped versions of natural molecules, could bypass immune systems and cause deadly infections, even wiping out life on Earth.💀

“The threat we’re talking about is unprecedented,” said University of Pittsburgh biology professor Vaughn Cooper. “Mirror bacteria could spread unchecked and cause lethal infections that current treatments wouldn’t stop.”

For context, all living things on Earth are built from specific molecular forms: DNA uses right-handed components, and proteins use left-handed ones. Mirror life flips this structure, which fascinates researchers and has the potential for medical treatments or industrial use. 

However, creating a fully functioning mirror organism is, thankfully, decades away. 

A recent report highlights significant dangers, including the risk that these microbes could escape labs, spread uncontrollably, and resist antibiotics. The authors believe the risks outweigh any potential benefits for now and recommend halting the research.

Dr Kate Adamala is a synthetic biologist at the University of Minnesota who contributed to the report. Dr Adamala was also working on mirror life research but had a change of heart after studying the risks. “We should not be making mirror life,” she said. “(The report) is about starting a global conversation while we still have time to act.”

The report also encourages funders to support such research only once safety can be guaranteed. While some see potential in mirror chemistry, they agree the focus should be on careful, regulated research.

The scientists hope this call for caution sparks a serious global discussion about whether creating mirror life is worth the risk.