Creation of artificial life brought a step closer by DNA transplant

[mike_n_herrin]

oh my. what actually frightens me about this is that we have enough trouble (and lack of understanding) of what happens when you take an existing organism and put it somewhere it's not supposed to be. what will happen if any of these created organisms ever "get out" because they WILL at some point.

 

[gewhite3]

Jurassic Park anyone??? LOL

Noelie, I'll meet you there and we can play with the raptors.

Science is so cool.

 

[Negasta]

oh my. what actually frightens me about this is that we have enough trouble (and lack of understanding) of what happens when you take an existing organism and put it somewhere it's not supposed to be. what will happen if any of these created organisms ever "get out" because they WILL at some point.

That's what lab testing is for.

Any such artificial organism would go through huge amounts of testing before being approved for any use.

They would probably also have some sort of genetic defect that would make them unable to survive outside the lab (or later factory, etc.) as has already been done with laboratory strains of E.coli.

 

[Kulindahr]

I hear ya - but - I think it's great. I think they should clone dinosaurs and do all kinds of freaky stuff. I'd love to be one of those scientists. I don't think we're going to be around too long as a species anyway so we may as well have some fun.

First, clone the woolly mammoth. Word is they made great steaks from some found frozen in Siberia!

 

[Kulindahr]

At one point there was a Russian group trying to bring back the mammoth; they'd even contracted for elephants to use as mothers. But I haven't seen anything about them in... well, since Putin took over.

 

[wascallywabbit]

"Polly shouldn't be!"

 

[SuperQueer]

my biggest fear about messing with dna, cloning even creating new life is the possiblity of grave mistakes. Imagine how hard life is for these two - being laughed at by all the other sheep and ever being able to take a decent crap.

Call me an idiot - but something about all this makes me think we are making trouble for ourselves.

 

[Kulindahr]

It occurred to me, while floating naked in the river today, that isn't this just mixing and matching? cutting and pasting? To call it "artificial life", wouldn't it have to be made from scratch?

 

[AngelBoy]

Yes - looks like they will one day be able to do this - maybe 10 to 20 years time - though genetics is real complex so may be 100 to 200 years time. But its still a physical system so can be malipulated.

Changing DNA isn't STAR TRECK stuff - doesnt need any more basic technology than we already have - just a lot more knowledge.

It wont just be artifical life - it will be the human race that they will control - hope they still decide to let some of us be born gay!

 

[Kulindahr]

Yes - looks like they will one day be able to do this - maybe 10 to 20 years time - though genetics is real complex so may be 100 to 200 years time. But its still a physical system so can be malipulated.

Changing DNA isn't STAR TRECK stuff - doesnt need any more basic technology than we already have - just a lot more knowledge.

It wont just be artifical life - it will be the human race that they will control - hope they still decide to let some of us be born gay!

If they have any sense, they'll have more of us born gay (if in fact it's genetic) -- if, say, one in five guys was gay, instead of one in twenty-five, think of the benefits for population growth!

 

[Kulindahr]

^ There's a certain concern there.
I read an article a while back about genetic engineering as the ultimate melting pot, because it would make it possible for parents to select desirable qualities, which tend to be pretty much the same across a broad segment of the population -- and we'd all end up looking very much the same.
Add to the diseases you listed arthritis, diabetes, and others often associated with old age -- we've been increasing the lifespan, but much of the later lives of the elderly is misery.

 

[Kulindahr]

Only if they get the age related diseases! If we cut out the genetic possibilities then they wouldnt have them.

I was thinking more of joints that start wearing out, vision blurring, skin sagging, weakening excremental muscles, hearing loss....

How would you feel if you were part of a couple that had a 75% chance of giving birth to a child that would stuggle to live for 12-16 years of life? There was a couple in that situation in the UK that appealed for Genetic modification of their third child after their first two had whichever disease it was, but the court still turned it down.

The simple problem with the whole thing is religion telling us it cant be done cos were not allowed to play god. Just like religion tells us were not allowed to be gay.

I recall from church history in America that religion once banned surgery, and insurance, and dancing, and all sorts of other things. Now those things are seen just as common, or common sense. Curing genetic diseases is still just healing, and Jesus healed LOTS of people, so what's the big deal? If we started giving our kids wider shoulders, getting rid of hair on their backs, and other cosmetic stuff, I can see an objection -- but then lots of religious people dye their hair, use depilators, and other cosmetic stuff, so... hypocrisy?

And was the article you read in a newspaper or a magazine? Or was it on a science journal? Only the latter counts as a valid article on tis subject, news articles blow it all out of proportion and confuse average joe.

Magazine in a doctor's office; author was a sociologist. I rather doubt a journal would print something so speculative. Ir was definitely food for thought, though.