Watching three tiny bands of polymer inch across a screen shouldn't send shivers down my spine. But this particular synthetic organism is a robot powered by, of all things, human heart muscle. Blech! I can't take credit for this particular find. Our robot-loving friends over at WaziWazi stumbled across this bit of techno magic from Korean researcher, Jinseok Kim.

The science is actually pretty amazing. I guess robot cells act just like they do in our own bodies, no matter where you grow them. These cells contract and relax just like a full-sized heart when dropped in something like sugar.

WaziWazi says the heartbots could eventually have medical applications. I'm thinking they're phase one in the creation of bio-bots that are physically identical to us, except for their Intel Core 3000 Duo-powered brains.

For the full creepy effect, you have to watch the video of the polymer-bot contracting its way from one side of a Petrie dish to the other. You've been warned.