In 2026, scientists created a 45-nucleotide RNA molecule that copies itself. Here, simpler rules. Particles collide, bond, and — if conditions align — replicate. Most soups stay inert. Some find the edge.
✱ SELF-REPLICATION EVENT
⟳ CLOSURE
Controls
A
B
C
K
E
Statistics
Particles 0
Bonds 0
Longest chain 0
Chains (3+) 0
Replications 0
Lineages 0
Max generation 0
Closure events 0
Time 0:00
What you’re watching is an artificial chemistry — particles following simple bonding rules. Self-replication isn’t programmed; it emerges when catalytic chains form that template their own assembly. The gap between this and life is organizational closure: life doesn’t just copy — it maintains the conditions for copying.
The Particles
A (red), B (blue), C (green)
Building blocks. They collide and bond into chains.
K (gold)
Catalysts. They accelerate bond formation nearby without being consumed.
E (white)
Energy particles. They break bonds on contact, creating turnover.
What to Try
Watch and wait. At default settings, chains form within seconds. Replication takes longer — look for the gold flash.
Raise the temperature to 2.0+ — faster collisions but bonds break easier. A race between creation and destruction.
Add catalysts (+5 K) near forming chains. Catalysts don’t participate in chains but speed up assembly nearby.
Click the canvas to inject an energy burst. Drag to stir the soup.
When a chain catalyzes assembly of a copy from the same lineage, you’ll see a green “CLOSURE” flash — the system is maintaining itself.
What to Look For
Replication count climbing means template copying is working.
Multiple lineages means independent self-replicators emerged.
Closure events are the rarest and most interesting: a lineage helping reproduce itself. That’s the edge between chemistry and life.