So this process has been recreated?
we can make simple membranes by putting molecules into a dish of water, yes.
simple example of a bilayer membrane forming:
carbon and hydrogen produce long chains of hydrocarbons. the hydrocarbons can align themselves in a row, or sheet, to minimize the contact between water molecules (polar) and the hydrocarbons (nonpolar). the system will minimize the free energy further by placing polar 'head groups' on top of the hydrocarbons, further minimizing the contact between polar and nonpolar molecules. wa-la, you have a simple membrane.
have we given this process a few hundred million years in the lab to figure out its best form to lower its free energy? no.
the rules of electrostatics and entropy governs almost every single process in a cellular based system.
