In the bustling, microscopic city of Cytoville, everything ran like clockwork. Vesicles delivered packages, mitochondria generated power, and the nucleus issued instructions. But the most important job of all belonged to the .

“We can’t work!” Sparky crackled. “I’m too clogged to contract!” Gutsy groaned.

The mayor, Nucleus Prime, called an emergency meeting. “We need more energy! More speed!”

Adanicell worked through the night and through the next day. It didn’t rest until every last bit of waste was gone and Cytoville sparkled again. The other cells gathered around, ashamed.

“Look!” said Gutsy. “Adam is eating the clutter!”

Quietly, Adanicell slipped away from the chaos. It didn’t shout or brag. It simply began to work . It nudged a heap of broken enzymes into its core. Crunch. Whir. Click. Out came shiny new amino acids. It absorbed a pile of torn membrane. Snap. Fold. Glow. Out came fresh lipid layers.