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Canadian Lab Unravels SARS With A Beowulf Cluster

Posted by timothy on from the you-knew-they'd-come-in-handy dept.

Amad writes "A Canadian Genetics Research Lab in BC, Canada has used a Linux Beowulf cluster to help sequence the genetic code of the virus linked to SARS. This lab is the first to crack it, and has posted the data to the public. You can read an article about the discovery, or check out the lab."

3 of 46 comments (clear)

  1. Great... by BoBathan · · Score: 5, Funny

    We just slashdotted information that could possibly (and probably) lead to a cure for SARS. Are we all terrorists now?

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  2. Re:Uhh, are we sure this is such great idea? by AndyAMPohl · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Well there are plenty of nasty virii sequenced and deposited for all to see in genbank. For every 1 scientist using information for evil, there are 5,000 using the information for good. -Andy

  3. Re:Posting genome on net... by moncyb · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You can't be serious. If "evildoers" were planning on using SARS as a biological weapon, they would not download the gene sequencing information from the internet. They would need lots of expensive equipment to manufacture the virus from that data. If they wanted SARS, they'd just get some real samples somehow--like kidnapping an infected person. Much cheaper. Much easier. Requires no scientific knowledge.

    Also, if we don't really understand the sequence of letters that make up the genome, why post it on the internet for the world to see? What good is it going to do?

    Hmm...could they be posting on the internet, so every scientist in the world can work on it if they want to, so a cure may be discovered more quickly? Naahh...they just want to give to terrorists!

    Isn't it better if we spend our time understanding what the letters mean rather than just putting the sequence up for viewing?

    What are you saying? That "we" should keep all the knowledge about this disease locked up in a single room, so only a handful of reasearchers can work on it?

    Maybe posting the genome on the net is good, maybe it isn't. And as you said, if an evildoer wants to get something, he will get it anyway. All I'm saying is, why make his task easier?

    You sound like the "zero tolerance" schools, homeland security, and the DRM cartel. "We have to act like jack-booted thugs and take everything away. Lest one single person may use a 'weapon of mass destruction' / 'tweety bird keychain' / P2P to wipe out the entire world!"