Living matter is inherently active, and out of equilibrium. In the past we investigated novel self-assembled structures that can be achieved in active, energy-driven,  systems, but have not been observed in equilibrium systems. For example, we have shown that self-propelling attractive spherical particles can form fluid–like “living” clusters which dynamically grow and shrink, a property usually attributed to living systems. Their emergence can be explained and quantified in terms of the balance between active forces and regression to thermodynamic equilibrium.

•  D. Grober, I. Palaia. M. C. Ucar, E. Hannezo, A. Šarić, J. Palacci, Unconventional colloidal aggregation in chiral bacterial baths, Nature Physics 19, 1680 (2023). (Featured at ISTA news; Phys.org; der Standard; LeMonde.)
• A. Mallory, A. Šarić, C. Valeriani and A. Cacciuto. Anomalous thermomechanical properties of a self-propelled colloidal fluid. Phys. Rev. E 89, 052303 (2014).
• M. Mognetti^§, A. Šarić^§, S. Angioletti-Uberti, A. Cacciuto, C. Valeriani, and D. Frenkel. Living clusters and crystals from low densities suspensions of active colloids. Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 245702 (2013). (Editor’s suggestion. Highlighted in Physics Focus.)