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Digital DNA Circuits
TheSync writes "ScienceNews has a story about digital DNA circuits. The circuits use proteins that activate or deactivate genes on the DNA for control. Since an inverter and an AND gate have been created, any digital logic circuit can now be done in DNA. Moreover, evolution can help make circuit elements work better. There is even a "databook" of BioBricks circuit elements and BioSPICE for biocircuit simulation."
So does this mean we can create robots and stuff?
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After looking at the article for a couple of minutes, a couple of things are clear to me:
1) being able to encode logic circuts using DNA != being able to program nano-size virus-like bio-bots to follow your instructions. The "processors" that drive life in virii, bacteria and cells do not follow instructions of this sort. Sure, you might be able to produce an organic computer that can 'run the program', but it won't be alive, it won't reproduce and it'll be a hell of a lot slower than a similar computer built on silicon. You can build logic circuits out of water and buckets if you like, but other than the intellectual curiosity, there just isn't much point.
2) I'm getting a little tired of this sort of "soon we'll be able to re-program living organism" articles. Talk about a God complex!
Look at it this way: is the paper aware of the circuit diagram I've drawn on it?
Methinks somebody needs to lay off the LSD for a while.
"Lawyers are for sucks."
- Doug McKenzie
However, our work became sidetracked when Craig developed an unusual affinity for horse sex. While the applications of the common horse penis in regards to a human are precaurious, to say the least, Craig nevertheless remained determined to not only engage in rapid, pulse pounding horse sex, but to somehow also increase it's efficiency. Craig quickly utilized the powers of digital DNA to aid him in his ghastly crusade.
After Craig was caught with a horse that he named "El Chancho the long when limp", 8 gerbils, a shrink wrapped box of OpenBSD, a lengthy printout of recent Kuro5hin.org posts, and an Xbox, funding for the project was cut.
Radio Shack might be a good subject for such a stupid trollery, except that even the most heinous trolls are disgusted by Radio Shack's utter lack of any sort of electronic or computer equipment. This is offtopic, flamebaitish, and perhaps even actionably libelous on my part so get your -1 mods ready, but Radio Shack is incredibly worthless, misnamed and quite likely 'gay' in the literal homosexual sense of the word. They remind me of those ghetto beauty salons you see where the proprietor has no business sense or vision, and starts selling hubcaps as a "side business" in the lobby... only distilled to 99.999% purity. It would be more honest to rename the franchise "Cell Phone Shack" or possibly "Battery Nazis". I have mustered all the contempt that I can, far more than is safe for any 12 humans put together, and it still isn't enough to express just how low they've sunk, and the speed at which they hit bottom. Fuck, it ignores the fact that when they hit bottom, they simply punched a hole through the floor, and contionued sinking. With any luck, they will somehow be connected with terrorism, and Bush will have no choice but to invade Cell Phone Sha... I mean, Radio Shack. After a 2 month bombing campaign, he'll then send in the ground assault of 220,000 troops, who will beat, kill and rape the store managers (in that order). I sometimes fantasize about some demented Marine Corp sargent stomping on some retard clerk's face while screaming at the top of his lungs "YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS, WE'VE GOT ANSWERS!!!" and then laughing maniacally. Alas, I will not be that lucky. Nor will you. The painful decades will drag by, with clueless people at other stores suggesting "Radio Shack" even though they haven't carried anything remotely cool since the late 70s. You'll be looking for some #4 sheet metal screws at Home Depot, and some hick asshat will say "Maybe you should try radio shack". Wallmart will be out of 9v 400ma DC adapters, and the pimple faced goth slut working the electronics dept will tell you to "go to Radio Shack" rather than check the back stock room for you. This will continue to happen until you go fucking postal, foaming at the mouth and making spastic seizure like movements of your arms, face and legs.
Radio Shack, what did I ever do to you? Is it so much to ask that you stock some 74xx IC's in at least every other store? Will you at least hire a decent fucking ad agency? Something, anything?
*weeps* Have you no mercy, no pity? What kind of monsters are you?!?!?!?!?