CAN bacteria be logical? Yes they can, say researchers who have made
genetically engineered bugs that do the same job as the components of a
microchip.
These smart bugs will crunch on chemical inputs rather than digital bits.
They could one day be sent into waste-water plants to hunt out toxic chemicals.
Or they could tell doctors what proteins are present in body fluids.
Just like a silicon-based AND gate that requires two electrical inputs, the
bacterial logic gate will only produce an output when both its chemical inputs
are present. It is the combination of such simple functions that…
