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News Chemistry

Enzyme forges carbon-silicon bonds with a little human help

Selective breeding produces biological ability to link resistant atoms

silicon-based life illustration

FREAKY FUTURE Is silicon-based life (illustrated above) out there in the universe? The jury is still out — but with a little help from humans, life on Earth might be able to sprinkle a little silicon in with its carbon.

Lei Chen and Yan Liang (BeautyOfScience.com) for Caltech

By Laurel Hamers

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