U.S. scientists take step toward creating artificial life

In a major step toward creating artificial life, U.S. researchers have developed a living organism that incorporates both natural and artificial DNA and is capable of creating entirely new, synthetic proteins. The work, published in the journal Nature, brings scientists closer to the development of designer proteins made to order in a laboratory. However, the team say their work is safe and say the semi-synthetic organisms cannot live outside of a laboratory. This undated photo provided by The Scripps Research Institute shows a semi-synthetic strain of E. coli bacteria that can churn out novel proteins. Scientists reported on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, that they have expanded the genetic code of life and used man-made DNA to create this strain of bacteria.