Mirror Life: The Emergence of a Second Tree of Life and Its Global Risks

A Noema feature surveys the looming possibility of mirror life—an engineered, mirror‑image form of biology that could evade immune defenses and spread without containment. While experts say such life is years to decades away and not yet realized, a 299‑page report and high‑profile scientists are calling for governance, a precautionary moratorium, and changes in funding and publishing to prevent an existential biosafety crisis. The piece traces the science of chirality from Pasteur to DNA/RNA, explores potential therapeutic and material applications of mirror biomolecules, and examines the political and ethical debates about restricting research in the name of safety while not stifling innovation.