Such computations occur at multiple scales, involving molecules, cells, tissues,organs and beyond. For example, computational circuits are embedded in molecular pathways1 and formed by the neurons of the brain, and the immune system computes immune responses by processing a vast array of molecular inputs. Understanding such information processing could unlock strategies

for treating disease and identify fundamental engineering principles of biology.In human-engineered systems, computations typically take place in dedicated processing units. By contrast, the computations involved in biological processes such as protein synthesis, molecular self-assembly

and cell navigation are often embedded directly in biophysical processes. Understanding such biophysically embedded computations remains a key challenge. Evans et al. report an investigation of biophysical computations in which a system of self-assembling DNA tiles was used to

recognize patterns.

Nature | Vol 625 | 18 January 2024 |