Synthetic biology edges closer to creating artificial life with SpudCell project

New Scientist

9h ago· 3 min readenNews

Summary

The article explores how synthetic biology is approaching the creation of artificial life, highlighting that living organisms are made from non-living components — meaning life can theoretically be built from scratch. It references the 2010 synthesis of a bacterial genome at the J. Craig Venter Institute and introduces SpudCell as the most sophisticated attempt yet at creating an artificial life form, which could help answer the fundamental question of what makes something alive.

Source

bskySynthetic biology edges closer to creating artificial life with SpudCell projectnewscientist.com

Key quotes

· 3 pulled

A living organism is made from components that aren't themselves living.

There is no mystical force that animates us and other life forms.

It means that it should be possible to build a life form from scratch – and we are now a step closer to doing so.

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What makes something alive? We simply don't know, but synthetic biologists are a step closer to providing an answer thanks to SpudCell, the most sophisticated attempt at creating an artificial life form yet

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