Living things are complex machines. The mind is a process that occurs with the machine of the brain. There is no magical life substance or mind substance. There is no division between life and death, mind and mindlessness. It’s all a continuum and many things lie in the gray area. Life and mind can be created artificially or emerge from natural, blind processes.
Saying this scares some people because it implies that gods and souls aren’t necessary; they’re irrelevant. The religious and the mystical are left only with faith, faith in purpose and meaning. Science doesn’t really say anything about purpose and meaning.