http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_e...132762.stm

Quote:The researchers constructed a bacterium's "genetic software" and transplanted it into a host cell.

The resulting microbe then looked and behaved like the species "dictated" by the synthetic DNA.

What has science done?

Evil_Dragon Wrote:What has science done?

Started the beginning of the end just because it could?

Naahhhh.... the technology to weaponized this sort of thing is yeaaars away.

Could they not make these faster, stronger, and smarter than their naturally existing bacterial brethren? If released into the environment, they would proliferate like weeds and outcompete their natural counterparts, thus reducing bacterial biodiversity.

And as mentioned before, hopefully they won't make virulent ones.

Mother nature always gets her revenge in the end. Over time any novel genes we add to the worlds genome is bound to get watered down anyway. There might be devastating consequences both short and longterm, but we as humans are simply part of the ecosystem and we will either survive of go extinct. Whether that is by our own hand or an unforeseen event only time will tell.

jcdietz03 Wrote:Could they not make these faster, stronger, and smarter than their naturally existing bacterial brethren? If released into the environment, they would proliferate like weeds and outcompete their natural counterparts, thus reducing bacterial biodiversity.

And as mentioned before, hopefully they won't make virulent ones.

It's okay, we'll simply make bigger and better synthetic organisms to eat the synthetic organisms we accidentally released into the wild. It's a flawless plan.

I wouldn't worry just yet. I think for the time being, the life forms nature has created over billions of years of evolution are much more robust than anything we can cook up in a lab.

Looking forward to the birth of the first Pokemon.

My first fear (or perhaps hope?) is Japan starting a mech war. You can tell me shit but that gundam 'statue' is just a disguised prototype!

The Gundam one isn't the only giant robot. There is a Gigantor in Kobe and there will soon be an Eva near Mt. Fuji.

Looks like they are increasing in numbers as we speak. Soon they will have a force large enough to take over the world :O

違い。

That's so fake.

Scientists Build First Synthetic Life Form Laced With James Joyce Quotes

Apparently there's other 'easter eggs' in there as well? Including an email address. Interesting.

“To live, to err, to fall, to triumph, to recreate life out of life.”