"Within fifty to a hundred years, a new class of organisms is likely to emerge. These organisms will be artificial in the sense that they will originally be designed by humans. however, they will reproduce, and wil "evolve" into something other than their original form; they will be "alive" under any reasonable definition of the word. These organisms will evolve in a fundamentally different manner... The pace... will be extremely rapid... The impact on humanity and the biosphere could be enourmouse, larger than the industrial revolution, nuclear weapons, or environmental pollution. We must take steps now to shape the emergence of artificial organisms..."
- Doyne Farmer and Alletta Belin, 1992
(from Prey by Michael Crichton)