Every cell that's ever lived has been the result of the four-letter genetic alphabet: A, T, C and G -- the basic units of DNA. But now that's changed. In a visionary talk, synthetic biologist Floyd E. Romesberg introduces us to the first living organisms created with six-letter DNA -- the four natural letters plus two new man-made ones, X and Y -- and explores how this breakthrough could challenge our basic understanding of nature's design.

Floyd E. Romesberg: The radical possibilities of man-made DNA

The radical possibilities of man-made DNA

Life's vast diversity is encoded by DNA's four letters, but adding two synthetic letters, X and Y, could unlock new biological stories.

Synthetic organisms with six-letter DNA could revolutionize medicine, creating proteins with properties beyond nature's 20 amino acids.

Exploring the universe's potential for life, the creation of semisynthetic organisms challenges our assumptions, expanding our horizons.