24 replies to this topic

[Arthas]

A scientist who built a synthetic chromosome from laboratory chemicals is expected to announce the creation of a new species, the first new artificial life form on Earth, British newspaper The Guardian reported Sunday.

http://www.foxnews.c...,299857,00.html

This could be handy in terms of fighting disease or alternatively in creating new weapons of war able to decimate entire populations.

I would make a bacterium that stealthily resides in the human cardiovascular system and feeds on fatty deposits, thereby eliminating most forms of heart disease. It could even catalyze it's food into additional beneficial proteins for the body.

Edited by Arthas, 06 October 2007 - 10:42 PM.

[Plissken]

Note to Self: Never piss off Arthas when he gets his hands on stuff like this. >_>

This is pretty cool, Maybe Jurassic Park can happen...

[Bayta]

I don't know. I see this as more bad than good. In some ways, this could be the best thing since oxygen. But it could also lead to the end of humanity a we know it!

[Animus01]

I don't know. I see this as more bad than good. In some ways, this could be the best thing since oxygen. But it could also lead to the end of humanity a we know it!

Heck, it's been 62 years since the end of World War 2, and we still have countries who are still trying to make nuclear weapons. The scientists should start trying to figure out the life form's full potential, so in case it ends up being a weapon, scientists will know how to fight it.

[Mitchfork]

Interesting. But technically, they didn't create life; rather, they created RNA (bacterias' form of DNA) to transplate into an already living bacterium. Still, this worries me a little... I mean, take bacterial menongitis. It's a DEVASTATING illness. A little change here or a swap there and it's immune to pennicillin. Scary.

Edited by Ebola Zaire, 06 October 2007 - 11:42 PM.

[Old-Skool]

I knew someone was gonna complain about it.

[Mitchfork]

I knew someone was gonna complain about it.

Call me a pessimist, but I'd rather work out to get skinny than have menongitis.

[Lune]

Scientists and companies can legally patent diseases if they make it in a lab. The Doomsday Clock is ticking......

EDIT: By the way........



5 minutes.

Edited by Puzidman, 06 October 2007 - 11:52 PM.

[Arthas]

I see many positives in this, and a few negatives. As usual the positives far outweigh the negatives. Full steam ahead.

[Mitchfork]

I see many positives in this, and a few negatives. As usual the positives far outweigh the negatives. Full steam ahead.

I guess I'd have to see this hit the fan before I made any positive/negative judgements. I'm pretty knowledgable on diseases and etc., so that scares me a lot, but the possibility of curing cancer or (as Arthas pointed out) heart disease is pretty amazing.

My opinion is changing every five minutes... I guess we'd have to wait for it's eventual use to see what it'll really do.

[nicklegends]

I don't know. I see this as more bad than good. In some ways, this could be the best thing since oxygen. But it could also lead to the end of humanity a we know it!

Well, if you think about it, oxygen will lead to the end of humanity, too.

[NoeL]

Interesting. But technically, they didn't create life; rather, they created RNA (bacterias' form of DNA) to transplate into an already living bacterium.

They never claimed to have created new life, they've created a new life form Except this is an artificially created species with it's own unique synthesised genome, rather than just a mutation of an existing species.

I think it has many many potentials, as soon as they know how to "code" RNA/DNA to make the species act in a particular manner... and of course the military will use the technology to make biological weapons. Such is life.

[Limzo]

Oh holy crap!! Now that this is possible, all I can picture is some kind of evil mastermind with a load of cash starting up a corporation to create invincible super creatures capable of taking over the world...

... either that or I just let my imagination run wild again.

I'll take the second option.

[Titanium Justice]

Dammit they should use them to heal diseases not make war we dont need any more wars!!!



DAMM SCIENTISTS!!!!

[Animus01]

Dammit they should use them to heal diseases not make war we dont need any more wars!!!
DAMM SCIENTISTS!!!!

Whoa, hold on there, bro. The scientists who've made it don't have any plans for world domination.

We're just exercising caution on the discovery. I want the scientists to discover all of the "do's" and "don'ts" about using it, so in case some power-hungry numbskull tries to use it as a weapon, we can attack it in its weak spot FOR MASSIVE DAMAGE! Just kidding. But seriously, I hope the scientists were smart enough to have studied the discovery enough to where they know its potential and withheld the more vital information from the public.