This is DAMN scary. There’s no telling what this could lead to. What if these artificial organisms have their own viruses that humans and other organic life have no defense against?
Perhaps the novel “Frankenstein” should have been required reading in the school systems. But Dr. Frankenstein has nothing on what is being done here.
There are millions of such viruses, so this could take quite some time.
There are most likely critical components to intergalactic spaceships, time~machines, and a gazillion other gadgets and processes just floating around waiting for this to happen.
For the Creationists, it would be difficult to believe God didn't give us all the "seeds" for our "garden". For the Evolutionists, it would be difficult to believe that something Venter appears to be able to do after a couple of years work didn't also happen throughout the Cosmos in many places, and some of that "product" happen to travel to this sector of the Universe where we can scoop it up and work with it.
I get the feeling Venter is cackeling hideously, wringing his hands with glee, and anticipating getting ALL the money.