When measuring photons, it's a case of 'wanted, dead' — catching them alive is not an option. But we can observe how a superposition of many photon waves progressively collapses as it interacts with a beam of atoms.

Take silicon, soak in water, add acid — and stir. This simple new recipe for the self-assembly of complex microstructures belies an involved sequence of hydrophobic, electrostatic and van der Waals interactions.

Synthetic microcapsules with membrane-bound inner chambers in which chemical reactions can be isolated and controlled have been assembled, layer by layer. Could artificial cells be on the horizon?