I am creating artificial life, declares US gene pioneer | Science | The Guardian — I’m not completely buying this one.
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”.
Note that since this is the Guardian there has to be some “global warming” angle. Cripes, what idiots.
“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.” Yea like starting the great Eugenics War and putting a future James T. Kirk at risk of being overtaken by one of Mr. Venter’s patients, a Mr. Khan.
To bad the world’s religion beat him to it. Look at all the zombies in the world that believe in a phantom. That is artificial life.
What #1 said.
The US Army won an Ig Nobel for the Gay Bomb, now perhaps they well develop the Zombie Bomb.
Using both together would obtain mixed results.
“We are going from reading our genetic code to the ability to write it”
Since when the ability to write has produce something other than crap! There are billions of human beings, at least half have the ability to write, but there’s only one Nobel each year and sometimes they are not very good either…What makes this bozo think (assuming I bought the story…) that he has something to “write” genetically!
All hype, no ‘life’ being created. But extremely dangerous no matter what.
a) Artificial genetic code inserted into a living cell, the same way that a virus would insert it’s genetic code. Create a life form from scratch and then it would be very different… this is just gene replacement.
b) Creating new genetic code for which there is no natural history. You think Ebola is bad… just think if one of these replacement genetic codes ends up being negatively aggressive. Without exaggeration, just a little bad luck and you could end up with a disease that could destroy ALL life on earth except for itself.
#5 … and then itself too…
To create life is the realm of God and we as his children have grown from helpless infants, to rebellious teenagers, and now young adults. I just hope that out knowledge hasn’t outpaced our wisdom.
Strange, you’d think a Nobel laureate like Hamilton O. Smith wouldn’t put his name on a fraud….
http://tinyurl.com/2ddo67
To quote from another noteworthy document…
“And advanced forms of biological warfare that can ‘target’ specific genotypes may transform biological warfare from the realm of terror to a politically useful tool.”
–from “Rebuilding America’s Defenses”
published by the Washington think tank known as Project for the New American Century
Are you all really this spooky – and have no clue who Ventner is – or what he’s done for genomic research? You’re not even up to Ned Ludd.
There are essentially two schools of endeavor stepping forward from the original genomic mapping. Ventner leads one. These are the bare beginnings of where he’s going – and twerps are panicking with eugenics whines, already. Cripes. Give me a break from beginners.
Go pray or something. Mumble over your beads.
Let’s give y’all some genomics 101. At least wander through Wikipedia – if that’s all you can take.
I supported the Human Genome Project – which was in head-to-head competition with Ventner’s Institute for Genome Research in the quest to open up the human genome. Primarily because of the HGP’s ideas on computational analysis – which worked. Worth a read on its own. They announced initial completion of the project together.
Ventner’s site is http://www.jcvi.org
The HGP is at http://www.genome.gov nowadays.
The reason for global warming getting a mention in the Guardian article is that one of the primary targets for Ventner’s current work is producing a synthetic source for fuel for internal combustion engines. Sorry if that makes any of you hide under the bed.
4–JoaoPT ==I believe the concern that pure crap will unavoidably be written is the Major Concern here? Nice call on the obvious- – -although not so obvious to the moss types who think their is no risk at all?
5–Awake–wrap your head around two worlds at once? “artificial life” is certainly being created. Full diet of red herrings.
7–echeola ==What wisdom?
8–Bubba, you’re being much less talkative these days? Hope you are that busy!
10–Moss, why give your faith to a scientist when you withhold it from religions? Be consistently suspcicious of those “leading the way” Surely “something” unforeseen will happen. I just hope, but do assume, we will survive someway.
7. echeola. Please, Venter’s ego is big enough already.
Switching to “The End Is Near” mode… The Drake equation proposes that with enough time, ET space migration would be able to populate the Universe. The Fermi Paradox essentially rebuts with, “Where are they then?” Maybe Venter will give us the answer as all technologically advanced societies eventually accidentally destroy themselves. Or not.
RBG
As the grown children of God, we should go forth and make a life for ourselves. Venter has finally succeeded. Hallelujah!!!
‘cor, that is exciting! I do wonder though, how hard is it going to be write DNA? I mean, should be able to engineer dogs with wings in the next 20 years or is it really complicated and its going to be some different colored amoebas?
I have to contend that NATURE has created many things in this world that have never been seen.
We have noticed many changes in Nature, that are LArge enough to see, such as birds, and new species…
When it comes to SMALL things we cant tell what nature has made and destroyed. Its just to SMALL and to many to imagine or even contemplate.
But, when MAN makes something, and its NOT GOOD, how do you kill it?
bobbo – like anyone whose analysis is grounded in the scientific method, I don’t have “faith” in Ventner – who you apparently never heard of before today.
He has a track record of proven accomplishments, the greatest of which is sharing the opening of the door to modern genomics. His ego and attitudes have nothing to do with peer review. His willingness to take a chance on hypothesis with his own reputation and dollars is praiseworthy.
My criticism is of ignorant fools and fantasy game-players who think their fears are legitimate – simply because they’re afraid.
Of the two schools of research goals in the next stage of genomics, e.g. synthesizing from scratch vs. radically modifying and synthesizing from a segment of existing DNA – frankly, I don’t come down on one side or the other. There is no need. Both are likely to add to our knowledge.
Although the first obviously affronts superstition-bound wimps.
“I am creating artificial life, declares US gene pioneer .”
Unless it has boobs who cares.
Eventually doctors will be able to use this new and wonderful discovery to help anguished parents who presently cannot have children with sexual organs in their ears.
RBG
12-bobbo
Our wisdom is difficult to see especially taken in terms of decades. Widen your view and look to the advances over hundreds of years. Plato and Socrates, generally regarded as the wisest men of the age were pedophiles, as was accepted by there society. Slavery has gone from the mainstream to a very fringe enterprise. Womens rights, though not universal have made incredible advances.
Our wisdom as a species grows slowly over generations. I’ve thought that we need the generation of people over 65 to die in order for gay rights have a fighting chance.
The possibilities of this research are very promising, from biological chemical factories that use far fewer raw materials and produce little to no waste, to modified bacteria that can, for instance, do C4 photosynthesis so that they can be used to make ethanol or diesel without driving up food prices and starving people to death.
However, let’s not kid ourselves, we all know what this will be used for; certainly not anything that will overturn existing industries, no matter how much that needs to be done. The quote from PNAC was appropriate, and indeed the reason I got out of synthetic biology; the same basic genetic circuit that could light up when exposed to two explosives chemicals could, with a little relatively easy gene swapping, produce botulinum when exposed to two unique protein variants (or products) within the target or target race’s body. It could even be used to ‘tag’ a populace with a long half life chemical, then exterminate them with the synthetic life form.
A useful tool if genocide is your game, and unfortunately there are plenty of players at that table these days. Until we mature greatly as a species, this is like children playing with matches in a fireworks factory.
16. ECA But, when MAN makes something, and its NOT GOOD, how do you kill it?
Shot gun?
Human nature being what it is something actively pornographic will emerge from some outlaw lab and eat everybody’s genitals.
This research is Satanic unless they donate money to the church.
“…synthesizing from scratch vs. radically modifying and synthesizing from a segment of existing DNA – frankly, I don’t come down on one side or the other. There is no need. Both are likely to add to our knowledge.
Although the first obviously affronts superstition-bound wimps.”
Comment by moss — 10/7/2007 @ 3:50 am
These “superstition-bound wimps” you speak of would rather believe in an incredibly wise, powerful, eternal being controlling the universe and protecting these “wimps” from it’s dangers. They do not want to think that there is no creator, no protector, no judge, and that the world is controlled by six billion glorified apes who can define “ethics” as they see fit, and who can oppress and destroy each other with impunity; an idea which has become very disturbing since the discovery of the atom.
Ironically, these “superstition-bound wimps”, an element of whom I am proud to be a member, will do whatever they believe is morally right, because they believe that they will be protected their efforts will be rewarded. The secular “realists” will submit humbly to whoever is in charge, because they do not want to die. That is why communist dictatorships will stop at nothing to indoctrinate the populace into becoming secular “realists”.
17–moss==what you call lack of balls in those who have concern, I would call “faith” in Ventner and his crowd that they won’t unleash something horrible. Now you say he is just at the start of adding greatly to our knowledge. Paraphrasing Edison===you learn a whole lot more of what doesn’t work before you learn what does work. Its to what doesn’t work that some concern should be given.
20–echeola ===thats not wisdom of our species, thats YOU being comfortable with the culture you find yourself in and wanting to think of it as “advanced.”
#17, moss,
My criticism is of ignorant fools and fantasy game-players who think their fears are legitimate – simply because they’re afraid.
Those without fear are also without caution. Those without caution will make mistakes. There have been enough ecological mistakes by mankind through history that are wise to remember.
While there may indeed be great benefits down the road, there may also be serious issues we don’t yet know how to deal with.
#27, And caution does not mean hiding under a rock or praying for protection.