[nibiyabi]

Scientists Build First Man-Made Genome; Synthetic Life Comes Next

 

[amphead]

As long as they can keep the Genie in the bottle. Thats a slippery slope.

 

[Capunk]

This isn't enough?

 

[GlendaleViper]

I saw this guy on Colbert a few weeks ago to interview and promote his book. The dude is a bit awkward and he seems a little "Dr. Moroe" to me, but he brought up a few very interesting viewpoints on this admittedly slippery slope and if he sticks to his ethics, I think we will see some truly and globally positive results from his work. I am very interested in reading his book.

 

[SuperNothing]

EbolAids here we come!

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Sure, but can we cure baldness?

 

[VicAjax]

the theological implications of this are quite awe-inspiring.
but that's a discussion for another forum.

 

[uzziah]

i wish it weren't

god rules
god is dead

..........bwahahahahahahahah

 

[Czilla9000]

SimLife - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anyone else play SimLife?

Well...we've had the power to destroy all life for decades now. Might as well have the power to create it.

 

[VicAjax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uzziah /img/forum/go_quote.gif i wish it weren't god rules god is dead ..........bwahahahahahahahah

are you familiar with my favorite science blog, Pharyngula?

a breath of fresh air in the smog of ignorance.

 

[IPodPJ]

You've got to love the pun here:

"The researchers used yeast to stitch together four long strands of DNA into the genome of a bacterium called Mycoplasma genitalium. They said it's more than an order of magnitude longer than any previous synthetic DNA creation."

 

[FalconP]

I love genies in bottles and slippery slopes that make lots of money.

But honestly this thing looks more like a gene library than an "artificial life". To string all DNA together is one thing; to make each gene work at an precisely concerted manner is quite another.

 

[stewtheking]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperNothing /img/forum/go_quote.gif EbolAids here we come!

Both of which are virus-based and not bacterial.

But to agree with FalconP, the whole Epigenetics scene is showing that we realistically know extremely little about what can switch genes on or off, and we're unlikely to get very far here for a long LONG time.

 

[ken36]

It's all coming true.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stewtheking /img/forum/go_quote.gif But to agree with FalconP, the whole Epigenetics scene is showing that we realistically know extremely little about what can switch genes on or off, and we're unlikely to get very far here for a long LONG time.

Yes, well considering what we knew of the subject 60 years ago and what we are working now, from nothing to being able to formulate bacteria efficiently, its safe to say that if growth in the field continues at its current rate, my great-grandchildren will be custom ordered at time of conception.

It will be Gattaca, only astronauts probably won't travel into space wearing suits & ties.