Craig Venter, the controversial DNA researcher involved in the race to decipher the human genetic code, has built a synthetic chromosome out of laboratory chemicals and is poised to announce the creation of the first new artificial life form on Earth.I think, for a lot of people, this will be an... "uncork the champagne, or head for the bomb shelter?" moment.
Mr Venter told the Guardian he thought this landmark would be "a very important philosophical step in the history of our species.
We are going from reading our genetic code to the ability to write it. That gives us the hypothetical ability to do things never contemplated before".
Pat Mooney, director of a Canadian bioethics organisation, ETC group, said the move was an enormous challenge to society to debate the risks involved.(via natnews)
"Governments, and society in general, is way behind the ball. This is a wake-up call - what does it mean to create new life forms in a test-tube?"
He said Mr Venter was creating a "chassis on which you could build almost anything. It could be a contribution to humanity such as new drugs or a huge threat to humanity such as bio-weapons".
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