Scinetists create an artificial life
Scientists in the US have succeeded in developing the first synthetic living cell. The researchers constructed a bacterium's "genetic software" and transplanted it into a host cell.
The resulting microbe then looked and behaved like the species "dictated" by the synthetic DNA.
"As soon as this new software goes into the cell, the cell reads [it] and converts into the species specified in that genetic code."
The new bacteria replicated over a billion times, producing copies that contained and were controlled by the constructed, synthetic DNA.
"This is the first time any synthetic DNA has been in complete control of a cell," said Dr Venter.
[url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10132762.stm]BBC News - 'Artificial life' breakthrough announced by scientists[/url]
Sometimes I'm awed at how far we've come.
So what's next? Artificially designed plants and animals?