THE SINGULARITY IS NEAR:

They’re called “synthetic biologists” and they boldly claim the ability to make never-before-seen living things, one genetic molecule at a time. . . .

The idea is to separate cells into their fundamental components and then rebuild new organisms, a much more complex way of genetic engineering.

The burgeoning movement is attracting big money and some of the biggest names in biology, many of whom are attending the “Life Engineering Symposium” that begins Friday in San Francisco.

“Synthetic biology is genetic engineering rethought,” said Harvard Medical Center researcher George Church, a leader in the field. “It challenges the notion of what’s natural and what’s synthetic.”

Dave Price is excited.