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Guernicaa
10-07-2007, 06:31 PM
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/oct/06/genetics.climatechange

"I am creating artificial life", declares US gene pioneer

Craig Venter, the controversial DNA researcher involved in the race to decipher the human genetic code, has built a synthetic chromosome out of laboratory chemicals and is poised to announce the creation of the first new artificial life form on Earth.

The announcement, which is expected within weeks and could come as early as Monday at the annual meeting of his scientific institute in San Diego, California, will herald a giant leap forward in the development of designer genomes. It is certain to provoke heated debate about the ethics of creating new species and could unlock the door to new energy sources and techniques to combat global warming.

Mr Venter told the Guardian he thought this landmark would be "a very important philosophical step in the history of our species. We are going from reading our genetic code to the ability to write it. That gives us the hypothetical ability to do things never contemplated before".

The Guardian can reveal that a team of 20 top scientists assembled by Mr Venter, led by the Nobel laureate Hamilton Smith, has already constructed a synthetic chromosome, a feat of virtuoso bio-engineering never previously achieved. Using lab-made chemicals, they have painstakingly stitched together a chromosome that is 381 genes long and contains 580,000 base pairs of genetic code.

The DNA sequence is based on the bacterium Mycoplasma genitalium which the team pared down to the bare essentials needed to support life, removing a fifth of its genetic make-up. The wholly synthetically reconstructed chromosome, which the team have christened Mycoplasma laboratorium, has been watermarked with inks for easy recognition.

It is then transplanted into a living bacterial cell and in the final stage of the process it is expected to take control of the cell and in effect become a new life form. The team of scientists has already successfully transplanted the genome of one type of bacterium into the cell of another, effectively changing the cell's species. Mr Venter said he was "100% confident" the same technique would work for the artificially created chromosome.

truthmatters
10-07-2007, 06:36 PM
Now theres a can of worms for you.

Its bound to happen and it may get messy.

Immanuel
10-07-2007, 06:48 PM
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/oct/06/genetics.climatechange

"I am creating artificial life", declares US gene pioneer

Craig Venter, the controversial DNA researcher involved in the race to decipher the human genetic code, has built a synthetic chromosome out of laboratory chemicals and is poised to announce the creation of the first new artificial life form on Earth.

The announcement, which is expected within weeks and could come as early as Monday at the annual meeting of his scientific institute in San Diego, California, will herald a giant leap forward in the development of designer genomes. It is certain to provoke heated debate about the ethics of creating new species and could unlock the door to new energy sources and techniques to combat global warming.

Mr Venter told the Guardian he thought this landmark would be "a very important philosophical step in the history of our species. We are going from reading our genetic code to the ability to write it. That gives us the hypothetical ability to do things never contemplated before".

The Guardian can reveal that a team of 20 top scientists assembled by Mr Venter, led by the Nobel laureate Hamilton Smith, has already constructed a synthetic chromosome, a feat of virtuoso bio-engineering never previously achieved. Using lab-made chemicals, they have painstakingly stitched together a chromosome that is 381 genes long and contains 580,000 base pairs of genetic code.

The DNA sequence is based on the bacterium Mycoplasma genitalium which the team pared down to the bare essentials needed to support life, removing a fifth of its genetic make-up. The wholly synthetically reconstructed chromosome, which the team have christened Mycoplasma laboratorium, has been watermarked with inks for easy recognition.

It is then transplanted into a living bacterial cell and in the final stage of the process it is expected to take control of the cell and in effect become a new life form. The team of scientists has already successfully transplanted the genome of one type of bacterium into the cell of another, effectively changing the cell's species. Mr Venter said he was "100% confident" the same technique would work for the artificially created chromosome.

"We are going from reading our genetic code to the ability to write it. That gives us the hypothetical ability to do things never contemplated before"

So the next step will be to make the perfect human being. Isn't this what Hitler sought? I'm not saying that this is what this guy intends to do. Far from it, but this is scary. What is to keep someone from developing this science further and attempting to create a perfect army?

Obviously there are some good uses for such technology as spoken of here in this statement, "It is certain to provoke heated debate about the ethics of creating new species and could unlock the door to new energy sources and techniques to combat global warming."

However, it does say that he is not creating life, rather he is forcefully modifying one species into another.

Oh My Gosh!!! Wait until Peta hears about this!!! ;)

Immie

truthmatters
10-07-2007, 06:58 PM
What scares me more is the unentended consiquences. They dont know what they will really create because we dot fully know what the gene sequance holds. They may create the perfect virus to wipe out mankind and quite by accident.

Immanuel
10-07-2007, 07:00 PM
What scares me more is the unentended consiquences. They dont know what they will really create because we dot fully know what the gene sequance holds. They may create the perfect virus to wipe out mankind and quite by accident.

Or maybe not by accident? Maybe the government will hire them to create it as a weapon of war and who knows where that will lead... right?

Of course, I am sure it will be developed to only affect liberals. :laugh2: So what am I so worried about. :D

Immie

5stringJeff
10-07-2007, 07:23 PM
This reminds me of a joke that has a good nugget of truth in it:

One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him.

The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost."

God listened very patiently and kindly to the man and after the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well, how about this, let's say we have a man making contest." To which the scientist replied, "OK, great!"

But God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam."

The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.

God just looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"

Cheyenne
10-07-2007, 07:37 PM
This reminds me of a joke that has a good nugget of truth in it:.......God just looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!":clap::clap::clap:
Have never heard this one!