The proteins inside cells work together this way, but whereas biological systems are water - based and markedly temperature - sensitive, these molecular nanosystems will be able to operate in
a far wider range of environments and should be much faster.
If
further research confirms the model's accuracy, it could also open new avenues for exploring the origin
of life on Earth, and for understanding the role hydrogen gas might play in supporting life in a
wide range of extreme
environments, from the sunless deep - sea floor to distant planets.