CREATION OF NEW LIFE FORMS by synthetic biology is the stunning opportunity of this century. I have gone to some trouble to show that nature has been involved in this same project since the start of life, on a massive scale, and with every possible mechanism. Our efforts will be small by comparison but rational. By definition we will start with preexisting genes and by definition, it will be a hybrid new life form. The key question is what big human or global problem do we wish to solve with this amazing new technology?