Soluilla

Soluilla is a hypothetical concept used in speculative biology and philosophy to describe a minimal, self-sustaining unit that combines metabolism and information processing. It is not a real biological taxon or chemical compound, but a thought experiment used to probe the boundaries between life and non-life.

In thought experiments and science fiction world-building, soluilla functions as an intermediate category between protocells and cellular life, focusing on what minimal properties are required for autonomous persistence in a dynamic environment.

Commonly proposed characteristics include a boundary that permits selective exchange with the surroundings, a basic energy-harvesting mechanism, an information-processing or regulatory system that sustains homeostasis, and the capacity to adapt through feedback from the environment.

Scholarly use is largely theoretical, intended to illuminate questions about abiogenesis, the emergence of complexity, and synthetic biology design principles. In literature, soluilla scenarios are used to explore ethical and practical implications of creating minimal autonomous systems.

Origin of the term is a neologism blending ideas associated with solubility or solitude and a diminutive suffix to imply a small, self-contained unit. It is not widely used outside speculative contexts.