Report: Scientists Create New Life Form in Lab

[rlg94086]

This is kind of scary…

foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299857,00.html

A scientist who built a synthetic chromosome from laboratory chemicals is expected to announce the creation of a new species, the first new artificial life form on Earth, British newspaper The Guardian reported Sunday.

The new species is a form of bacteria, and the announcement, which could come as early as Monday, is expected to provoke a substantial ethical debate about the manufacturing of life forms in a test tube, as well the dangers posed by introducing a new species, The Guardian reported.

Here is the Guardian article…
guardian.co.uk/science/2007/oct/06/genetics.climatechange

“We are not afraid to take on things that are important just because they stimulate thinking,” he said. “We are dealing in big ideas. We are trying to create a new value system for life. When dealing at this scale, you can’t expect everybody to be happy.”

IOW…playing God.

 

[PoliSciProf]

I am really worried about the implications of the new genetic knowledge. I think our future (not far off) will include chimeras (man/animal hybrids), designer babies (see the 1997 film Gattaca for a plausible preview of this world) and new life forms. A **Brave New World **is really on the horizon.