As far as I understand it (and remember that this is from articles written by journalists who may well have got lots of details wrong) it was something similar to:
Work out the sequence of the DNA. Make, from elementary chemicals, an exact copy of that DNA. Take the original DNA out of a living cell and replace it with the identical copy made from elementary chemicals.
So no, it's not a world-shattering event. But it is a critical single step in the path.
For the first time ever, a living organism is running on DNA that isn't *of itself* directly descended from the first replicating 'organism' billions of years ago.
It's, of itself, nothing new. As I understand it, you wouldn't be able to see any difference between that cell and all the others. But what they can do now is start making changes to the DNA they generate and see what results. So they have an extremely powerful new tool for doing research.
And if they ever do make an entirely artificial life form this is one of the tools they will be using, and which they wouldn't be able to manage without.
no subject
Work out the sequence of the DNA.
Make, from elementary chemicals, an exact copy of that DNA.
Take the original DNA out of a living cell and replace it with the identical copy made from elementary chemicals.
So no, it's not a world-shattering event. But it is a critical single step in the path.
For the first time ever, a living organism is running on DNA that isn't *of itself* directly descended from the first replicating 'organism' billions of years ago.
It's, of itself, nothing new. As I understand it, you wouldn't be able to see any difference between that cell and all the others. But what they can do now is start making changes to the DNA they generate and see what results. So they have an extremely powerful new tool for doing research.
And if they ever do make an entirely artificial life form this is one of the tools they will be using, and which they wouldn't be able to manage without.