Frog skin cells turned themselves into living machines

Newly created ‘xenobots’ swim and move particles around in their environment

microscopic image of several xenobots

Small clusters of skin cells taken from frog embryos grow into larger spheres, called xenobots (pictured), that can swim, move particles and heal themselves.

Douglas Blackiston

Using blobs of skin cells from frog embryos, scientists have grown creatures unlike anything else on Earth, a new study reports.