Startup in biotech adds two base pairs to genetic code — and life on earth may never be the same

Startup in biotech adds two base pairs to genetic code — and life on earth may never be the same | ExtremeTech: "Amidst the staggering diversity that is life on earth, there is a surprising thread of commonality. That shared ground is the language of genetics. Prior to the discovery of DNA, few suspected that a single molecular code could underpin such a panoply of biological forms – everything from viruses to talking apes. Even more startling was the discovery that this code consisted of a molecular language only four base pairs in length. It took evolution a billion years to devise this four-letter chemical code. Now for the first time in recorded history, organisms with a new, expanded, genetic code are taking shape in the laboratory. It’s no exaggeration to say that life on earth will never be the same."