Researchers in the UK have come up with a clever technique to detect "mirror life": theoretical organisms whose molecules are flipped versions of ours.
Using a method called circularly polarized luminescence (CPL), they can check how light twists as it passes through, making it possible to identify these unusual structures.
No mirror life has been found yet, but this approach could help us stay ahead of potential biosecurity threats.
CPL tests need no mirror organisms
If mirror life ever showed up, it might dodge our immune systems and make current medicines useless.
The good news: this CPL tech could be built into scanners and doesn't require actual mirror organisms for testing.
Researchers are also planning new experiments with glowing probes on regular cells to boost accuracy, and they're calling for more teamwork across fields to keep our defenses ready, just in case nature or science throws us a curveball.