In a discovery that sounds like science fiction but is very much reality, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed tiny particles that behave remarkably like living organisms—changing shape and propelling themselves in response to their environment.

Published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications in January 2026, this breakthrough represents an exciting step toward a future where microscopic robots could deliver medications directly to hard-to-reach areas of the human body, potentially transforming how we treat disease.

"This discovery opens new possibilities for precise, programmable control of microrobots, enabling them to adapt their motion to different environments or tasks," explains Jin Gyun Lee, a postdoctoral associate who co-led the groundbreaking research.

What makes these particles truly special is their lifelike behavior. While the concept of active particles has existed for decades, most have been rigid and limited in their capabilities. The CU Boulder team wanted to create something more dynamic—particles that could bend, reconfigure, and steer themselves, much like the microorganisms that inspired them.

The ingenious design combines two materials with very different properties. One layer is a soft hydrogel that swells and contracts as it absorbs and releases water, while the other is a rigid, glassy substance that maintains its size. When temperature changes, the hydrogel layer expands or shrinks, causing the entire particle to bend into new shapes—like a living creature adapting to its surroundings.

Measuring up to 40 micrometers in length—about the size of some larger bacteria—these particles can be controlled with remarkable precision. By adjusting water temperature and applying electrical fields, researchers can change how the particles orient themselves and move through their environment in real time.

The potential applications are thrilling. Assistant Professor C. Wyatt Shields, co-principal investigator of the study, envisions numerous exciting possibilities, with medical microrobots leading the charge. While these tiny helpers haven't yet been approved for use in the human body, the future looks promising for drug delivery applications that could reach areas traditional medications struggle to access.

Beyond medicine, these innovative particles could revolutionize biomedical devices, flexible electronics, sensors, and even create large-scale materials that can respond to their environment and heal themselves when damaged.

"We wanted to bring these systems closer to biology by designing soft, shape-morphing active particles," Lee shares enthusiastically. The team's success in doing exactly that represents a beautiful example of how nature continues to inspire human innovation.

Co-investigator Hayward expressed excitement about future possibilities: "This new project will allow us to further explore ways to control the motion of single particles as well as to understand the collective behavior of larger groups of particles."

Perhaps most inspiring is how this research bridges the gap between the living and non-living world. "We believe this paper opens the door to a new class of active matter that will offer new functional capabilities and take us one step closer toward recapitulating some of the dynamics of living systems," Shields notes optimistically.

As we look toward the future, these tiny shape-shifters remind us that the boundaries of what's possible continue to expand, bringing us closer to medical breakthroughs that could improve countless lives.