I have been predicting it for some time, and today it was announced! Craig Venter runs the company that first sequenced the human genome. Now, his team has created what they’re calling synthetic life.
They’ve actually created an entirely synthetic genome, built from chemicals in a lab. They inserted the genome into a cleaned out cell. When they did so, the new genome fired up exactly as if it were a “natural” genome.
Of course, everything has gone crazy. The media are in a frenzy. Some claim he’s playing God. Others are freaking out that these things will “escape” into nature and destroy life. And some are saying that it will end disease and bring about paradise on earth. The truth, as always, will lie somewhere in between these extreme views.
But this changes everything. Mark this day. A new era has dawned.
Here is an interesting reaction to this story from a website focused on proving “Biblical creationism” (whatever they mean by that). I don’t endorse the website, or the attitude behind the article, but it is a good read, and adds some interesting information to the story. Worth a read: http://creation.com/synthetic-life-by-venter