Chemical reaction networks, such as those found in metabolism and signalling pathways, enable cells to process information from their environment^1,2. Current approaches to molecular information processing and computation typically pursue digital computation models and require extensive molecular-level engineering³. Despite considerable advances, these approaches have not reached the level of information processing capabilities seen in living systems. Here we report on the discovery and implementation of a chemical reservoir computer based on the formose reaction⁴. We demonstrate how this complex, self-organizing chemical reaction network can perform several nonlinear classification tasks in parallel, predict the dynamics of other complex systems and achieve time-series forecasting. This in chemico information processing system provides proof of principle for the emergent computational capabilities of complex chemical reaction networks, paving the way for a new class of biomimetic information processing systems.

化学反应网络，例如代谢和信号传导途径中的化学反应网络，使细胞能够处理来自环境的信息 ^1,2 。当前的分子信息处理和计算方法通常追求数字计算模型并需要广泛的分子级工程 ³ 。尽管取得了相当大的进步，但这些方法尚未达到生命系统中信息处理能力的水平。在这里，我们报告了基于单分子反应 ⁴ 的化学储层计算机的发现和实现。我们演示了这种复杂的自组织化学反应网络如何并行执行多个非线性分类任务，预测其他复杂系统的动态并实现时间序列预测。这种化学信息处理系统为复杂化学反应网络的新兴计算能力提供了原理证明，为新型仿生信息处理系统铺平了道路。