We are as good as God:

They are calling this a synthetic living cell. But they did use an existing cell as a template and as a recipient for their home-made DNA. Strictly speaking, it is only the genome - the DNA in the cell - that is entirely synthetic.

This bacterial cell, the researchers say, is the first life form to be entirely controlled by synthetic DNA.

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away:

Everything that that blanket of oil has covered will die. There is no way to clean it.