Subscribe RSS FeedScientists designed their own DNA for a new lfie form. (Including a “designed by humans” watermark so that it will never be confused for a natural organism.) They took this DNA they designed, created it, and then injected into bacteria cells. The bacteria cells original dna was destroyed (through some mystical bio chemistry/dna magic). And the bacteria began reproducing itself with the new DNA.
Unless I am missing something, and this isn’t actually totally awesome and new. This is a huge breakthrough that leads the way to custom building bacteria for specific tasks such as converting co2 to bio fuel (I think that’s a little stretch), cleaning up oil-spills (wouldn’t that be nice right now), etc…
Pop-Sci article about: Craig Venter Institute Creates Worlds First Synthetic Cell
I heard about this too. It is a big breakthrough, but the life form isn’t new. It is essentially a photocopy of another organism, but the fact that they are able to create all the DNA for the organism from scratch is the big breakthrough. There are still a few more major milestones before we will see any “new” life forms.