RAND Proposes a U.S. Strategy to Prevent the Creation of Mirror Life

A new RAND report outlines a strategy for the United States to prevent the creation of mirror life—hypothetical organisms built with reversed molecular chirality that could evade immune systems and cause catastrophic ecological disruption. The authors argue that adaptive governance is insufficient and that action must be taken before the first mirror cell exists. They recommend engaging scientific superpowers, especially China, to build collective restraint, and caution against actions that could spur strategic competition.