Scientists create life

[Broletariat]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10132762.stm

What are the general thoughts about this sort of thing?

[Invincible Summer]

I think it's amazing, and really brings to mind all the potential beneficial uses for such tech.

However, the fact that it's developing under capitalism would probably mean it'd be used for useless shit that no one can afford.

[TheSultan]

I think it's awesome and has loads of potential.

However I don't know how much progress we'll be able to make under a conservative government...

[x371322]

It's incredible is what it is. Definitely a huge leap.

[NGNM85]

I've been following Venter's work for at least a year, now. I was aware that he was working on creating synthetic life and I was thrilled to hear the news driving home from work this evening. If you want to find out more, I strongly recommend an excellent site called Science Daily, and the Venter Institute's official website.

The possibilities for applications are endless. From medical applications like developing new medicines and treatments, to bulding bacteria that consume pollution or produce biofuel.

The icing on the cake is that this is another strong right cross to the jaw for religion. The 'mystery" of creation is no longer a mystery. The purview of spirits, magic, and supernatural daddy figures has been shrinking since Galileo's day, now they don't even have sole proprietorship of creation, anymore.

[leftace53]

ZOMG
This is really cool! I would like a synthetic person, or we should make synthetic people for the revolution at least.

[Invincible Summer]

ZOMG
This is really cool! I would like a synthetic person, or we should make synthetic people for the revolution at least.

They're called androids :rolleyes: :lol:

[Dimentio]

Dr Craig Venter is scaring me. He is the guy who wants to genetically reengineer common plants to produce oil so he could "save" the environment. Of course, in his limitless altruism, he is going to put a copyright stamp on all the species he are making. In short, he is the closest thing this world have which is resembling a Dr Frankenstein.

He would have been amazing as a Bond villain.

http://elproyectomatriz.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/craig-venter-1.jpg

[AK]

Does this mean we can stop playing the let's-cross-this-horse-and-this-raddish-and-see-what-happens game?

[Mendax]

Its a massive break through - as per usual theres been the usual cries of "playing god" and "What if terrorists use it as a weapon" but hey the fear mongerers have to do something unproductive. (Although I suppose what happens if the millitary use it to create weapons, should still be a question.)

[Dimentio]

Its a massive break through - as per usual theres been the usual cries of "playing god" and "What if terrorists use it as a weapon" but hey the fear mongerers have to do something unproductive. (Although I suppose what happens if the millitary use it to create weapons, should still be a question.)

This technology could undoubtly be made of good use. I do not object to the technology, I object to the ways in which Dr Venter is planning to utilise the knowledge. If he is successful, he could very well end up owning a large part of the planet's biomass. If his plants start to spread outside, he could soon start to sue everyone who have been unfortunate enough to be in the way of the wind.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

Has he created life? Seems to me he has just injected/inserted artificial genetic material into a cell that was already alive, which is no more 'creating life' than putting an artificial heart in a living body is.

Or am I missing something here...?

[Dimentio]

Has he created life? Seems to me he has just injected/inserted artificial genetic material into a cell that was already alive, which is no more 'creating life' than putting an artificial heart in a living body is.

Or am I missing something here...?

Probably not. He is pretty criticised by fellow scientists for doing exactly that but claiming to create life.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

It's a bit like that spurious story a few months back that coma patients can still communicate with their 'minds':

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/health/2838208/Coma-patient-communicates-with-power-of-the-mind.html

Or the one nearly 20 years ago that there was such a thing as 'cold fusion', or the one in the mid-1990s that life had come from Mars on a meteorite, or the one back in 2003/4 that scientists had created artifical life on the internet...

We get these wild claims every so often, and they are almost invariably all withdrawn a few weeks/months later.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Does this mean we can stop playing the let's-cross-this-horse-and-this-raddish-and-see-what-happens game?

What's wrong with that?

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

We might create something like we saw on Resident Evil...

[Hit The North]

or the one back in 2003/4 that scientists had created artifical life on the internet...



I thought that was you.

Is that not true, then :confused:

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

^^^Why do you say that? :confused:

[Hit The North]

It was a joke. How many times have you been accused of only existing on the internet? Maybe I should have telegraphed it with a lol smiley.

[jake williams]

Has he created life? Seems to me he has just injected/inserted artificial genetic material into a cell that was already alive, which is no more 'creating life' than putting an artificial heart in a living body is.

Or am I missing something here...?
It's a part of the process though. Maybe I read incorrectly, but if I recall correctly it's synthetic DNA. I imagine DNA is more complex to synthesize than the other components which make up a cell, rendering it possible to synthesize a whole cell.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

BTB:


How many times have you been accused of only existing on the internet? Maybe I should have telegraphed it with a lol smiley.

Well, to my knowledge, the only person who has done this is 'Socialist Steve':

http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk/rosa.htm

Alas, this comrade has a rather tenuous grasp on reality, who, for example, thinks that when I refer to 'alien-class' ideas and theories, I am in fact referring to shape-shifting lizards, or other assorted aliens! And he continued to maintain this even after I informed him that 'alien-class' is a common enough Marxist term refering to non-proletarian classes, most commonly the ruling-class, and is based on Marx's use of 'alienation'.

But, this idea is now out there, and I regularly come across others who think this guy is a serious thinker, and that I am indeed a form of artificial life.

Of course, in real life I'm worker and Trade Union rep (unpaid), but why let reality spoil a good yarn, eh?

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

jammoe:


It's a part of the process though. Maybe I read incorrectly, but if I recall correctly it's synthetic DNA. I imagine DNA is more complex to synthesize than the other components which make up a cell, rendering it possible to synthesize a whole cell.

In fact, if you look at the biochemistry of the cell, DNA is one of the simpler components. Check out the Krebs cycle, for example:

http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/summer2003/kreb3.gif

http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/summer2003/krebs-cycle.gif

http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/summer2003/krebsfull.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citric_acid_cycle

Anyway, calling this 'the creation of life' is a little previous, I think.

Would anyone say they had 'created life' if they made artificial versions of the above chemicals, and then injected them into a cell?

[Hit The North]

R:

And he continued to maintain this even after I informed him that 'alien-class' is a common enough Marxist term refering to non-proletarian classes, most commonly the ruling-class, and is based on Marx's use of 'alienation'.


How is it based on Marx's use of 'alienation' without including the working class as an 'alien class'. You're not suggesting that the working class is not alienated are you?

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

No, the ruling-class is alien to (in the German sense of not the same as, but over and against) the working class.

[ckaihatsu]

What are the general thoughts about this sort of thing?


Generally I'm thinking that does this mean that I have to do the background reading in order to participate in this thread??? (Heh.)





However, the fact that it's developing under capitalism would probably mean it'd be used for useless shit that no one can afford.


It means that now Venter's going to corner the market -- we're *fucked* from now on when we go to the store to buy our synthetic DNA...! (Uh....)





[W]e should make synthetic people for the revolution at least.


Yeah! Then we wouldn't have to sell the newspaper on the street anymore...! Political consciousness could just be genetically engineered in!

= )





Dr Craig Venter is scaring me.




In short, he is the closest thing this world have which is resembling a Dr Frankenstein.




[photo of Venter in half-doctor-uniform, half-suit-and-tie]


It looks like he's *already managed* to genetically engineer *fabric* to make his customized half-and-half suit...! (Laughter, hearty applause.)





Does this mean we can stop playing the let's-cross-this-horse-and-this-raddish-and-see-what-happens game?


Well that explains the flavor of horseradish...! (Hmmmmm....)





If he is successful, he could very well end up owning a large part of the planet's biomass.


Yeah, I *already* patented the color blue, so suck on it, fuckos!!!





Has he created life? Seems to me he has just injected/inserted artificial genetic material into a cell that was already alive, which is no more 'creating life' than putting an artificial heart in a living body is.

Or am I missing something here...?


Time to update The Wizard of Oz with another remake...! (laffs)

[AK]

What's wrong with that?
Fuck-ups, and the like.

Well that explains the flavor of horseradish...! (Hmmmmm....)
:lol:

[NGNM85]

Dr Craig Venter is scaring me. He is the guy who wants to genetically reengineer common plants to produce oil so he could "save" the environment.

There are several theoretical applications in which bioengineered microorganisms could be used to protect the environment. It's actually one of the most promising tools to halt, or even undo all the damage that has been done to the biosphere.



Of course, in his limitless altruism, he is going to put a copyright stamp on all the species he are making. In short, he is the closest thing this world have which is resembling a Dr Frankenstein.

He would have been amazing as a Bond villain.

Of course, we live in a capitalist (Read;"corporate communist") society.

However, that doesn't mean it couldn't do an immense amount of good.
I have no doubt if Pfizer developed a cure for AIDS tomarrow, they'd patent it and probably make a ton of cash, but they'd also probably save a lot of lives, although, admittedly, not nearly as many as they theoretically could. That doesn't mean I wouldn't want it to be developed.

Honestly, taking the broad view, I find the implications of developing GNR technology far less dangerous than the implications of not developing them, or not developing them fast enough.

[Klaatu]

They have hopefully not created an "Andromeda Strain" :crying:

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

ckaihatsu:


Time to update The Wizard of Oz with another remake...! (laffs)

I'm sorry, but my 'comprehend enigmatic posts' chip needs an overhaul, so this comment was lost on me.:confused:

[ckaihatsu]

I'm sorry, but my 'comprehend enigmatic posts' chip needs an overhaul, so this comment was lost on me.:confused:


Yeah, sorry, my indicating was a bit obtuse -- I was referring to *these* parts, which could be updates to the lion-gets-a-heart and strawman-gets-a-(whatever), etc....





injected/inserted artificial genetic material into a cell




putting an artificial heart in a living body

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

Eh?:confused:

Still confused, sorry...

[ckaihatsu]

Eh?:confused:

Still confused, sorry...


Never mind -- no biggie.