Posted by
CmdrTaco
on from the this-is-just-swell dept.
jrrl writes "USAToday is reporting that Craig Venter's research group has synthesized a virus from scratch and that it "became bioactive" (started reproducing). Particularly interesting is that it only took them two weeks to build, rather than several years that previous attempts had taken."
Well, not really terrified I guess, but the whole "We've created life and it's procreating" thing is something that doesn't exactly make me feel warm and fuzzy,. And why did it have to be a virus. Why not a cute little kitten or something?
Worse, they could have created real-life Tribbles but didn't. How can they call themselves scientists yet not pursue the future laid out before us by Gene Roddenberry?
If they can get it down to seven days then we'll have something;)
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All your old jokes are belong to sigs.
Re:Should we really be doing things like this?
by
B'Trey
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· Score: 1, Funny
My first thought on reading the headline was 'Cue the Luddites.'
We're all going to die! Nanobot virus AIs created from stem cells and feeding on the bodies of Monarch butterflies slain by the pollen from genetically engineered corn are going to destroy the world!
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"The legitimate powers of government extend only to such acts as are injurious to others." Thomas Jefferson.
Re:Should we really be doing things like this?
by
oniony
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· Score: 5, Funny
Yeah, I agree -- these people really need to start wearing condoms.
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I guess we'll see....
by
Anonymous Coward
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· Score: 1, Funny
You can practically smell the plea for more research money can't you?
I think the full case goes:
'Our new virus could help society meet its energy needs, clean up pollution, bring about World peace, reunite the cast of 'Friends', immunise the World's population against the threat of Jennifer Lopez movies and produce a Starbucks espresso that tastes faintly of coffee.'
Best wishes,
Mike.
Re:Viruses, not virii
by
freeweed
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· Score: 5, Funny
Excuseth me, but I have to go visit the Olde Shoppe now.
I'm all for literacy and correct grammar/spelling, but anyone who doesn't think English is a constantly evolving language obviously has never read a book more than 20 years olde.
-- Endless arguments over trivial contradictions in books written by ignorant savages to explain thunder in the dark.
i, for one, would like to *welcome* our virus-creating overlords...
/me looks around nervously, and dons a N100 mask.
-- Just raise the taxes on crack.
Re:Should we really be doing things like this?
by
jimsum
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· Score: 5, Funny
Let's hope they use some sort of copy protection on these viruses so that they can only reproduce with the permission of the owner. That's DRM I have no trouble with.
Slashdot Mirror
Anymore these days, i have to re-read titles like this one to try to determine if it's a organism-disease virus, or a computer-disease virus.
heh.
These guys are writing fork bombs with DNA
do() || do_not();
Are we sure this wasn't put out by the Umbrella corporation?
SCO.com uses Linux
Well, not really terrified I guess, but the whole "We've created life and it's procreating" thing is something that doesn't exactly make me feel warm and fuzzy,. And why did it have to be a virus. Why not a cute little kitten or something?
I want the fire back.
Quick! Lets blacken the skies, they won't be able to live without light!
If they can get it down to seven days then we'll have something ;)
---
All your old jokes are belong to sigs.
My first thought on reading the headline was 'Cue the Luddites.'
We're all going to die! Nanobot virus AIs created from stem cells and feeding on the bodies of Monarch butterflies slain by the pollen from genetically engineered corn are going to destroy the world!
"The legitimate powers of government extend only to such acts as are injurious to others." Thomas Jefferson.
Yeah, I agree -- these people really need to start wearing condoms.
Powered by onion juice.
how we feel about this 28 Days from now.
I think the full case goes:
'Our new virus could help society meet its energy needs, clean up pollution, bring about World peace, reunite the cast of 'Friends', immunise the World's population against the threat of Jennifer Lopez movies and produce a Starbucks espresso that tastes faintly of coffee.'
Best wishes,
Mike.
Excuseth me, but I have to go visit the Olde Shoppe now.
I'm all for literacy and correct grammar/spelling, but anyone who doesn't think English is a constantly evolving language obviously has never read a book more than 20 years olde.
Endless arguments over trivial contradictions in books written by ignorant savages to explain thunder in the dark.
Just raise the taxes on crack.
Let's hope they use some sort of copy protection on these viruses so that they can only reproduce with the permission of the owner. That's DRM I have no trouble with.
-- Pot is safer than Beer
Can they now patent this virus, or does God's work count as prior art?
"Freedom means freedom for everybody" -- Dick Cheney