Dr. Venter's work on creating new life forms is without question the most morally challenging issue faced by man since, scientists first split the atom.

On one side; Dr. Venter's goal of creating new species of life holds great promise for making life on this planet much easier and much more enjoyable for everyone. On the other side; looms the dark potential for the creation of the worst imaginable nightmares for man, if the power to create new life forms is not responsibly managed or worst yet, becomes available to those with evil intent, — which I assure you it will.

Greg Slaughter, Bakersfield, CA

We are looking for something that eats stubble and makes gasoline. Besides, it's not artificial life; it's still God's good genomes.

Gregory Baker, Laurel, Maryland, USA

You can see the plot of a sci-fi thriller evolving. Scientists create a new life form that is fatal to humans and there is no antidote. Only this time it will be real.

Jim, Massapequa, NY

Gee, how wonderful! We can replace the species we are wiping out as we squeeze the life out of the planet for our human-centric profit and pleasure with new, bizarre chimera. Ecological disasters immanent, we ignore basic solutions like limiting population growth, conservation, low-impact living, etc. and fixate on technological miracles to feed our addictions.

mike larson, boston, MA USA

Steve, London. I think you’re overreacting. To compare what is happing in those researches to second war’s genocide is huge mistake. I think Creig’s intension is to create life in favor of humanity maintenance, improving our life quality and developing news kind of sources (energy, medicines and many others). I agree that there are some points they get to be warned, they must be aware about creating new types of dangerous germs just as an example.

André Araujo de Oliveira, Vitoria, Brazil

artificial life still needs a designer, hmmmmm, interesting, so much for intelligence design

wayne, sarver, usa, pennsylvania

"War Crimes?" He is not creating these bacteriums to wipe out another race. Relax.

Matthew, Seattle, WA

Any experimentation of altering nature or it's course, is wrong.

Nature has built-in boundaries. Mules, are only begat from the combination of a mare and a donkey - and not the other way around. Mules themselves, both the males and females, are infertile. So today we have a clearly drawn line within those species. Otherwise we could have had the monsters of Greek Mythology living among us, what with bestiality mentioned in the Bible, Satyrs, Centaurs asnd such. Proclivity stops with Leopons!

If you cannot clearly visiualise the end, do not start the joiurney.

Let be.

Srivatsa Rao, Shasrjah, UAE

The risks from the technological use of these achievements will be high. But the rewards even higher. Creating primitive life forms that perform specific duties like fuel production or waste management is the only way forward for a planet of 10 billion.

Basil, Cambridge,

Man just does not know when to stop. If Adolf Hitler had done this in his laboratories in 1945 we'd have called it war crimes. But of course - we have 'progressed !"

Steve, London, UK

Some send probes to the moons of Saturn to see if there wouldn't be life in oceans hidden under ice. Others try to create artificial cells by playing Lego with aminoacids. Others ban every research on embryonic tissues because the Almighty has supposedly forbidden it.
When all these people have time they might consider saving some interesting large evolved forms of life on this very planet.

Ronnie, Paris, FRANCE

If life can be created in the lab the adjectives synthetic or artificial relly become irrelevant. What will that do to the superstitious belief that there is some bearded all knowing, all creating wise guy in the sky.

Bruce Northwood, Washington D.C., USA

One only needs to imagine what the Nazis would have been up to, with this kind of genetic engineering. Terrifying... Fifty years from now we may be worrying about a rogue state that is playing with this.

Robert, Manchester, UK