‘Beautiful blobs’: synthetic life a step closer as scientists make cells using lab-made DNA

Tiny, quivering spheres designed to feed and multiply raise prospect of artificial organisms to make drugs, food and fuel

Researchers claim they are closer to creating life from scratch after building tiny, quivering blobs that use lab-made DNA to feed, grow and multiply in a dish.

The synthetic cells were made from chemical compounds and are believed to be the first to demonstrate the complete cell cycle of growth, genetic replication and splitting to produce the next generation.