Artificial life created?
Updated on 06 October 2007
Scientists are on the verge of creating the world's first artificial life form.
Craig Venter, a DNA researcher, has built an entirely synthetic chromosome - a sequence of genes - and plans to implant it in an existing cell.
If he succeeds he and his team will have created an almost entirely new life form for the first time.
Researchers hope the discovery will lead to developments in bio-engineering to help tackle climate change, or provide alternative energy sources.
It will also provoke widespread debate about the ethics of "playing God" by creating new species.
Mr Venter said that creating the new life form would be "a very important philosophical step in the history of our species".
© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.
These news feeds are provided by an independent third party and Channel 4 is not responsible or liable to you for the same.
