Consumer watchdog organizations such as Canada’s outspoken ETC Group have been quick to state concerns about the wisdom of the research and development of artificial life with limited public discussion, lack of accountability, and an absence of oversight. With an eye toward economics, many are asking how the rights to own synthetic life and appropriately patent it will be managed. Because of bacteria’s ability to reproduce in more diverse conditions than viruses, there are also unaddressed safety concerns about contamination, accidents, unexpected results, and bio-terrorism. Environmental ethicists are asking for broad social debate before synthetic-biology advances to the point of creating organisms that can survive outside of the laboratory or, worse, become so simple that “recipes” can be found on the Internet for anyone to dabble with.