Researchers have designed two types of nano-sized building blocks that can automatically connect into cubes and scramble back into individual components based on the temperature of their environment. This accomplishment is another step towards chemical systems that more realistically mimic life. ‘Imagine mixing two liquids together, like ink and water. They will automatically do the simple chemical process of dispersing until they are perfectly mixed,’ said Professor Shuichi Hiraoka of the University of Tokyo.