Stop now – haven’t they read any science fiction? No seriously, the BBC carries a report on a major step taken in the quest to create artificial life.

Researchers have rebuilt an entire genome from scratch, they report online today in Science. Although the team has yet to demonstrate that this DNA can substitute for the real thing, the work paves the way for customized bacteria. Science Now.

Scientist hope that these customised bacteria will be able to produce clean fuels – for instance instead of filling up with petrol or diesel you’d just fill up with water and the bacteria in your car would breaks it down into hydrogen to power the car with the only by-product being oxygen. Other bacteria could combine dangerous greenhouse gasses into something less harmless. One wag round here suggested HCO3, which is blood plasma – raining blood, now that’s apocalyptical.

Talking of apocalyptical, whilst this technology undoubtedly has great benefits, one can’t help thinking of all together, more sinister applications, or even a plain and simple accident. However, it’s too late now, our curiosity knows no bounds and like the proverbial cat, it could well kill us. Still the same could have been said when we were busy splitting the atom, and somehow we’re still here.