My kid asked about artificial life, from a video game.

I explained that for 'natural' life everyone has a mom,
even if they don't (like most bacteria) have a dad
(albeit there's some very interesting horizontal
gene transfer that has little genetic analogy amongst
higher vertebrates, although amongst humans, culture
is transmitted not only with all the strength of normal
heridity, but also with horizontal meme transfer.

But synthetic life would be composed in a lab.

Kid will play Jonas Salk in a famous americans play.
I'm pleased; although its easy for him as he's done
several reports based on the same research. Much like
certain academics.

Salk snd Sabin are very cool dudes.