Ryanoids

Ryanoids are a term used in speculative biology and science fiction to describe a proposed class of primitive, self-organizing protocells or nanoscale networks that resemble certain features of neural tissue. In these depictions, ryanoids form modular aggregates capable of basic computation, environmental sensing, and adaptive response.

Origin and naming vary: in many works the term is attributed to a fictional researcher or to a family of explorers, and the name is used to distinguish a morphology category rather than a single lineage. The concept travels across novels, games, and theoretical essays as a thought experiment about emergent life.

Structure and function: Ryanoids are described as assemblies of repeating nano-units that connect into a lattice or mesh. They possess conductive filaments and signaling pathways that enable simple, distributed computation and rapid communication between units. Metabolic activity is usually portrayed as energy harvesting from chemical gradients, with reactions supporting growth, maintenance, and occasional self-repair.

Reproduction and development: In simulations and stories, ryanoids reproduce by fission, budding, or network-scale reorganization of modules. Growth depends on environmental resources and stabilizes through feedback control that preserves functional connectivity.

Scientific status: Ryanoids are not observed in nature and are not recognized by real-world biology. They function as a hypothetical model for studying origin-of-life questions, artificial life, and the consequences of decentralized computation in living systems. Critics argue the concept blends fiction with speculative biology and lacks empirical testability.

In culture: The idea appears in science fiction literature, film, and game design as a vehicle to explore intelligence in non-carbon-based systems, nanotechnology ethics, and the boundaries between life and machine.