Second Life, or Not?

June 8, 2007

An activist group is raising a ruckus about what it says may be the first effort to patent an entirely synthetic free-living organism. It says the patent application, filed by maverick genome sequencer Craig Venter’s institute on an idea that has likely not yet been achieved, would tie up a new technology and could aid bioterrorists. But others say there’s nothing new or surprising about the patenting effort. (ScienceNOW)