Scientists discover 'third state' beyond life and death in major breakthrough

Since the dawn of time our understanding of biology has been that an organism is either living or dead and nothing in-between.

However, this very idea may change forever, as scientists discover a new 'third state' in which cells can exist.

So, let's unpack this new state of being and what it means.

A state which is neither life or death is one which has long existed in sci-fi movies, thanks to depictions of zombies, vampires and many other types of ghouls. Thankfully, the real life version of this is less exciting (or terrifying) and involves certain cells from dead organisms of humans and animals living on after its host's death.

Which means we're not about to bump into Frankenstein while on our evening walk, but the findings could have an interesting impact on the future of medicine.

Researchers have discovered that certain cells enter a 'third state' after death, creating multicellular life-forms (Getty Stock Images)

What is the 'third state' and how was it discovered?

The findings, which were published in the journal Physiology by Professor Peter Noble at the University of Washington in Seattle and Alex Pozhitkov at City of Hope National Medical Centre in California, reveals that certain cells gain new capabilities after its original host passes away.

"Life and death are traditionally viewed as opposites," the pair wrote in a piece for The Conversation.

"But the emergence of new multicellular life-forms from the cells of a dead organism introduces a ‘third state’ that lies beyond the traditional boundaries of life and death.

The piece cites a 2021 study which revealed that tissue from deceased frog tissue was able to adapt once placed in a petri dish, reorganising itself into multicellular organisms named 'xenobots'. While a study using lung cells from a deceased human being revealed they were able to reassemble into multicellular organisms - called anthrobots - which had the ability to repair itself as well as nearby damaged tissue.

Fortunately these organisms don't resemble anything from a sci-fi horror story (Bettmann/Getty Images)

Numerous factors also impact a cell's ability to exist in the 'third state', with age, health, sex, species and post-mortem conditions all playing a role.

What does this mean for the future of human biology and medicine?

According to the researchers, this discovery could have further implications for the future of medicine. For example, anthrobots could be engineered to treat certain illnesses.

It's also worth noting that these multicellular organisms have a lifespan of about four to six weeks, preventing the risk of harmful cell growth.

"This research has the potential to transform regenerative medicine, redefine legal death, and provide insights into life's physiological limits, paralleling inquiries in embryogenesis," the pair concluded.