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WorldWeird: Craig Venter creates synthetic life form

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  1.  (8263.1)
    So there it is finally, Venter got his artificial genome made and living in actual cell lines. As a microbiology and genetics buff I find this incredibly cool and exciting.

    http://www.boingboing.net/2010/05/20/craig-venter-creates.html
    • CommentAuthoricelandbob
    • CommentTimeMay 20th 2010
     (8263.2)
    i loved the final sentence of the announcement
    "the cells with only the synthetic genome are self replicating and capable of logarithmic growth."


    Although it looks as if they haven´t created "life", just taken a certain genome, digitized it completely, altered it and then placed the new genome into another cell. But the evil mad scientist possibilities are endless!

    so when is Warren getting his jar of Grey goo in the post?
    • CommentAuthorroadscum
    • CommentTimeMay 20th 2010
     (8263.3)
    Very clever stuff but not exactly built from scratch, more like reverse engineering a bacterial genome and squirting it into an empty cell.

    Damn! Bob beat me to it!

    Why does this remind me of the Tu4?
    • CommentAuthorStefanJ
    • CommentTimeMay 20th 2010
     (8263.4)
    Most people will ignore this until you can screw synthetic life forms, or prevent people people from screwing synthetic life forms.
    • CommentAuthoricelandbob
    • CommentTimeMay 20th 2010
     (8263.5)
    i want monkey with 4 arses!!
  6.  (8263.6)
    Awesome. Bring on the advances in... damn, pretty much every aspect of life.

    I want a genetically engineered monkey butler. Just as long as they don't rise up and overthrow humanity.
  7.  (8263.7)
    Here come the toothless eels!
    • CommentAuthoricelandbob
    • CommentTimeMay 20th 2010
     (8263.8)
    For the love of god, please don´t let Warren or Grant Morrison get hold of this technology.....
    •  
      CommentAuthorNygaard
    • CommentTimeMay 20th 2010
     (8263.9)
    So, how many steps left until the "Synthesize your pet" facebook app-game?
  10.  (8263.10)
    @StefanJ: People are already pushing for the 'banning' part: Synthia is Alive … and Breeding: Panacea or Pandora's Box?
    In 2006, ETC Group joined with other organizations to demand the formal, open and inclusive oversight of synthetic biology and have since called for a global halt on research pending the development of global regulations. ETC Group has reiterated that call at a scientific meeting of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Nairobi attended by more than 100 governments.
  11.  (8263.11)
    icelandbob & roadscum:

    I know that doesn't sound like much but it's still a really big thing and a great proof of concept. Replicating existing life is still creating artificial life. They are fiddling with single cell organisms, but the only difference to reconstructing a human DNA and growing up a person is the scale - and I don't doubt people wouldn't be blase about someone with a hand copied and constructed genome.

    This was an Wright brothers' flight. Sure, it doesn't look like much now, but...

    Yeah, I'm a microbiology/genetics buff, how did you notice? :)
    •  
      CommentAuthormister hex
    • CommentTimeMay 21st 2010
     (8263.12)
    @Vornaskotti -
    This was an Wright brothers' flight. Sure, it doesn't look like much now, but...



    Not to be a downer but the Wright Brothers eventually, inevitably led to aerial carpet bombing. Surprisingly quickly, too ...
  13.  (8263.13)
    mister hex:

    "Not to be a downer but the Wright Brothers eventually, inevitably led to aerial carpet bombing. Surprisingly quickly, too ..."

    Yeah, and no doubt the cousin of the guy who invented fire burned down his hovel :)
    •  
      CommentAuthorcity creed
    • CommentTimeMay 21st 2010
     (8263.14)
    I loved the ticker line on the BBC news for this story:
    "Critics say technology could be dangerous"
    which at least has the virtue of being true... about everything.
    • CommentAuthorRenThing
    • CommentTimeMay 21st 2010
     (8263.15)
    I'm sure that this will come as A Great Surprise to Everyone(tm) but the Church is not exactly pro-this.
  16.  (8263.16)
    @citruscreed

    "Critics say Technology could be dangerous"
    • CommentAuthorRenThing
    • CommentTimeMay 21st 2010
     (8263.17)
    @newspaperdrone

    "Critics say that Air could be dangerous"
    • CommentAuthorChristianW
    • CommentTimeMay 21st 2010
     (8263.18)
    Went to the BBC link

    Below this headline: 'Artificial life' breakthrough announced by scientists there was a picture. Go look.

    And I thought: "Well, hell - blue nipples. Craig Venter has really outdone himself."

    Happy holidays...
    •  
      CommentAuthortaphead
    • CommentTimeMay 21st 2010
     (8263.19)
  20.  (8263.20)
    Anyone else find it amusing how we've become so blasé about scientific breakthroughs these days?

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