'Milestone': Scientists claim to build synthetic cell, raising concerns in step toward artificial life

Scientists at the University of Minnesota say they have built the most life-like synthetic cell yet, creating a laboratory-made system assembled entirely from nonliving components that can grow, replicate its genetic material, divide and even pass beneficial traits to future generations. The researchers describe the work as a major step toward building artificial life, but said the synthetic cells cannot survive outside carefully controlled laboratory conditions and require externally supplied n