Synthetic Life

[rekees4300]

A new beginning or the beginning of the end? :confused3: Your thoughts?

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May 20, 2010

U.S. researchers have created the world's first "synthetic life," a strain of bacteria created with man-made DNA.

"This is the first self-replicating cell we've had on the planet whose parent is a computer," team leader Craig Venter of the J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, Md., told USA TODAY's Dan Vergano. Venter has been a leader in human genome mapping as well as synthetic biology.

The breakthrough is "a defining moment in the history of biology and biotechnology," Mark Bedau, a philosopher at Reed College and editor of the journal Artificial Life, told Science magazine.

The sci-fi strain of the blue bacteria, which are not infectious, is in a freezer and headed to a museum.

Regarding the broader implications of the research, the Venter Institute writes, "Throughout the course of this work, the team contemplated, discussed, and engaged in outside review of the ethical and societal implications of their work."

 

[Wacky]

:shocked: better not be the beginning of the end, I just got my first MF:smiley_aafz:

 

[MossRoad]

A new beginning or the beginning of the end? :confused3: Your thoughts?

As Chuckie from the Rugrats would say...."We're doomed, Tommy!"

Seriously, though... someone with a big head will think he can save humanity with engineered life and it will turn bad and kill a whole bunch of folks.

Just look at how genetically altered seeds in agriculture have spread to almost all non-genetically altered crops already. It was only a matter of a decade before traces of that can be found in almost any field in America.

Then look at the rivers in America. Studies show that not one of them does not contain major traces of pharmaceuticals. It got there by humans peeing and sewage treatment plants only kill bacteria, not pharmaceuticals.

What is interesting is that they created a bacteria. Bacteria are one of the toughest, most adaptable things to ever live on earth. And they mutate. Good luck keeping bacteria locked up. And once you put it in people, good luck with keeping those people locked up.

It will only be a matter of time before someone slips up and that's that.

History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of man.... Godzilla. :thumbsup:

 

[Tractorbeam]

If it lasts longer and runs cooler, synthetic is the bees knees!

 

[rekees4300]

What is interesting is that they created a bacteria. Bacteria are one of the toughest, most adaptable things to ever live on earth. And they mutate. Good luck keeping bacteria locked up. And once you put it in people, good luck with keeping those people locked up.

It will only be a matter of time before someone slips up and that's that.

History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of man.... Godzilla. :thumbsup:

There was a special on the National Geographic channel about this topic. They ask Craig Venter about mutation and escape. He replied the bacteria would be programmed to only be able to live in the Lab. If you believe that then I gotta bridge in Brooklyn for sale.

 

[LMTC]

There was a special on the National Geographic channel about this topic. They ask Craig Venter about mutation and escape. He replied the bacteria would be programmed to only be able to live in the Lab. If you believe that then I gotta bridge in Brooklyn for sale.

I'm sure he believes that....but therein lies the problem IMO. He likely assumes his knowledge is sufficient to anticipate all contingencies, and that none exist whereby the bacteria could live outside the lab. We tend to be way too arrogant about our understanding of things. I do not believe we can anticipate all the possible contingencies.

 

[BobRip]

If it were up to me I would stop all research. Who knows what can go wrong if we do something different or try to improve something. Let's go back to 1850. Anybody want to do that? I bet the life on the planet is a lot tougher than anything we can make.

 

[BobRip]

If it were up to me I would stop all research. Who knows what can go wrong if we do something different or try to improve something. Let's go back to 1850. Anybody want to do that? I bet the life on the planet is a lot tougher than anything we can make.

Sorry for the sarcastic response. I think people always think of the bad things that science and technology has brought, and forget what it would be like to live without it. I don't know what good synthetic life will bring, but I bet our children will get great benefits from it.

On the other hand, nomadic life may have been a good life with travel with your friends a routine. Cities aka civilization stopped that. Are we better off? I think so.

 

[rekees4300]

I do not believe we can anticipate all the possible contingencies.

Yeah "unintended consequences" is the key phrase. This new technology is powerful and has the potential to make the world a better place. On the flip side we are playing with something as big as the discovery of fire. Hopefully we wont get burned!

 

[BobRip]

Yeah "unintended consequences" is the key phrase. This new technology is powerful and has the potential to make the world a better place. On the flip side we are playing with something as big as the discovery of fire. Hopefully we wont get burned!

Yes "unintended consequences" can be bad. But they can be very good. Who would have predicted the Internet from the development of the telegraph. Or advanced medicine from alchemy.