Click pic to embiggen
Scientists have created the world’s first synthetic life form in a landmark experiment that paves the way for designer organisms that are built rather than evolved. The controversial feat, which has occupied 20 scientists for more than 10 years at an estimated cost of $40m, was described by one researcher as “a defining moment in biology”.
Craig Venter, the pioneering US geneticist behind the experiment, said the achievement heralds the dawn of a new era in which new life is made to benefit humanity, starting with bacteria that churn out biofuels, soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and even manufacture vaccines.
However critics, including some religious groups, condemned the work, with one organisation warning that artificial organisms could escape into the wild and cause environmental havoc or be turned into biological weapons. Others said Venter was playing God.
The new organism is based on an existing bacterium that causes mastitis in goats, but at its core is an entirely synthetic genome that was constructed from chemicals in the laboratory.
The single-celled organism has four “watermarks” written into its DNA to identify it as synthetic and help trace its descendants back to their creator, should they go astray.
We created the idea of god, so why not. Sorry, I forgot. EVERY one of the world’s 125 major gods/goddess are fake, totally made up fictions…except for yours (whichever that is). Right. Gotcha. ROTFLMAO. Magic is magic.
I thought this was cool:
“They rebuilt a natural sequence and they put in some poetry,” said University of California at San Francisco synthetic biologist Chris Voigt. “They recreated some quotes in the genome sequence as watermarks.”
Art and science in a perfect blend?
#17 MrMiGu said,
“If they pour a glass of water on these organisms does that too prove the story of Noahs Ark?”
Can’t prove historical events like that. I just meant that it proves an intelligence can design life, which is what Intelligent Design is all about.
#15 for the win!
What this really proves is that life is just a machine. One base on carbon.
Now they just have to figure out how to program cells. As far as I know no one understands how even a simple organisms go from DNA to the finished product. Once they do understand watch out. We will have designer life. There is a Bio-App for that.
Biotechs insert man made genetic material into human, yeast and bacterial cells each day and have been doing it for ten years. I wonder why this is news?
It’s the 1770′s and Watt has just rolled out the steam pressure engine.
Hang on kids, the revolution is about to start.
Just a reminder to everyone. Technological progress didn’t even slow down during the last depression and it won’t during this one either.
It is not synthetic if they use naturally occurring parts.
It is a hybrid and man has done many of those before. Most of the food we eat is hybridised or bred for particular traits. Nothing new here.
Just like the cloning is nothing more than forcing a twinning process that naturally exists.
Until they make it from all scratch, it is not synthetic.
Cursor_
No, we’re not.
Wow, that was easy.
Ask a harder question next time.
CAD designed DNA + artificial intelligence + a few more years spent tweaking the techniques = we’ve created our own evolutionary successor
Bobbo, 95% of other species we might cause to become extinct? Show me the link, I don’t believe it at all. I don’t think we can cause that much devastation without killing ourselves way before the 95% mark.
And, it’s “Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?” Phillip K. Dick if memory serves. Wasn’t that the basis for Blade Runner? I can’t remember.
#23 – “intelligence can design life, which is what Intelligent Design is all about.”
No it’s not!
Intelligent design is a hoax dreamed up by religious taliban types to protect and spread their own mythologies.
They used to admit it was “creationism” but that was too revealing, so they keep dreaming up new names to hide their true motives and promote their agendas.
Oh sure…lets put these buggers in vaccines..and when they do.. the creators and all those on the hill who approved it get a double dose to see if its safe..
Bio-fuels..complete waste of resources.
———————————
This BS will be weaponized to target certain types of humans waay before it is ever applied “for the good of humanity”
What these idiots (and western science) fail to acknowledge, know or understand, is that standard issue DNA (which they have appeared to have used, mutates and/or evolves rapidly when exposed to certain types of resonant energy. -sound and torsion waves included..
Since we have entered the evolutionary “trigger area” of the galaxy, everything in the solar system is undergoing rapid changes and mutations.
-anything these ignoramuses create will also change away from its “intended” function..and with our track record, -in a negative aspect. (GM foods are a perfect example)
Consensus science has ZERO clue how so called “evolution” or the universe, actually works. -they’re no better the people with “The Good Book”
Someone outta torpedo this idiocy before they make our current home planet unlivable when someone lets this crap out into the wild, -intentional or otherwise.
-s
The article should have been titled as Synthia & Apollo and their Synthetic Life.
Synthetic/Synthia/Cynthia
Cynthia or “Synthia” was originally an epithet of the Greek goddess of the moon, Artemis, who was sometimes called “Cynthia” because, according to legend, the goddess was born on Mount Cynthus. Known also as a master of animals. Parallel Greek goddess to Roman goddess Diana. Daughter of Leto and twin sister of Apollo.
Synthia & Apollyon are one in the same… The hermaphrodite beast of the book of Revelations as seen as Apollyon and the ‘scarlet whore’ named as Hel…
All you have to do is study the Apollo/Athena, whom is Synthia/Artemis, angle in every story/issue/matter, and you will find the source of the evil. Because the beast named as Apollo/Athena is at the core of EVERY evil ever seen down through ALL the eons and ages… That evil can be seen when the connected names are completed… They touch every evil ever known…