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DNA Computer Detects, Treats Disease

Arthur Dent '99 writes "According to this article at Reuters, Israeli scientists at the Weizmann Institute have developed a DNA computer which can automatically detect and treat prostate cancer and a form of lung cancer in laboratory experiments. Theoretically, a person could be injected with this computer, and it would detect and treat any diseased cells at the earliest stages of development, perhaps preventing the disease altogether."

25 of 183 comments (clear)

  1. Ouch, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Would be a bit hard to swallow. I hope it's at least one of those small form factor [i.e. shuttle PC] designs.

    1. Re:Ouch, by Kenja · · Score: 5, Funny
      "Would be a bit hard to swallow. I hope it's at least one of those small form factor [i.e. shuttle PC] designs."

      Good news! Its a suppository.

      --

      "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
    2. Re:Ouch, by glenebob · · Score: 3, Funny

      I find that rather hard to swallow...

  2. Well! by Ziviyr · · Score: 3, Funny

    Thats quite a step up from "Hello World!"

    --

    Someone set us up the bomb, so shine we are!
  3. Uhhhhhhhh by WwWonka · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...developed a DNA computer which can automatically detect and treat prostate cancer

    That computer had damn well be running a stable version of Linux if it is operating on/near/in my colon!

    Somehow knowing that a Windows machine could give me the "brown screen of death" doesn't sit easy with me!

    1. Re:Uhhhhhhhh by TheSpoom · · Score: 3, Funny

      If your prostate is in your colon, you, sir, have some serious problems.

      --
      It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
      - E. Debs
  4. Microscopic Computer? by thrillbert · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is Dennis Quaid driving it?

    ---
    There's a fine line between courage and foolishness. Too bad it's not a fence.

  5. At the doctor office. by sls1j · · Score: 3, Funny

    "That DNA computer you gave me got a virus."

    Doctor says, "How do you know?"

    "Because I have this obsession to mail everybody I know a vile spit... Here's a letter."

  6. Re:Does this mean... by cyber_rigger · · Score: 3, Funny


    shove his finger up my ass


    I'd hope they wouldn't put

    the reset button there

  7. oss by theguywhosaid · · Score: 5, Funny

    i for one, welcome our new closed source gene modifying software overlords

  8. Prostate huh? by Prince+Vegeta+SSJ4 · · Score: 2, Funny
    And where would the injection point be?

    Man (shudders), what would the injection DEVICE look like.

    Bend over, here comes big daddy computer. ack.

  9. But it's fun! by MacFury · · Score: 3, Funny
    does this mean that the doctor doesn't have to shove his finger up my ass to check my prostate anymore?

    Just because he doesn't have to doesn't mean he won't. :-)

    My Movies

  10. Take your pick from these lame comments by Linker3000 · · Score: 4, Funny
    • Imagine a beowulf cluster of these inside you
    • All your cells are belong to us
    • Wow, imagine being infected with spyware and so everywhere you looked a little box with a penis enlargement ad appeared in the top right hand corner of your vision
    • Then SCO claims the system uses some of their code and they now OWN YOUR ASS
    --
    AT&ROFLMAO
  11. Earlier... by antic · · Score: 4, Funny


    Thank god they didn't invent this earlier! Injecting computers... shit, computers used to be huge! Now they'd just be sticking a midi-tower into your stomach...

    Oh wait, that's going to explain the size of the average geek; they've been onto this for years!

    --
    'Thats they exact same thing a banana wrench monkey.'
  12. What if DNA computer goes crazy? by pyrrhonist · · Score: 4, Funny
    This could be a bad thing:

    "Hal, please open my bladder sphincter."

    "Sorry, Dave, I can't do that."

    *pop!* *splotsh!*

    --
    Show me on the doll where his noodly appendage touched you.
  13. Prostate Street by tverbeek · · Score: 4, Funny
    That computer had damn well be running a stable version of Linux if it is operating on/near/in my colon!

    While your prostate is in the general neighborhood of your colon, you might want to be more concerned about certain other organs and glands that are more directly connected to it. I'd be less worried about a colonic BSOD, than with an inability to boot, or a poorly-timed abnormal termination.

    --
    http://alternatives.rzero.com/
  14. Think of the Maintenance Schedule by MooseByte · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Theoretically, a person could be injected with this computer, and it would detect and treat any diseased cells at the earliest stages of development..."

    Oh great, so keeping up with the latest virus defs will finally be a literal pain in the ass too....

  15. Re:I have to wonder... by wookyhoo · · Score: 5, Funny

    For some reason I have the following image in my head. Blame it on it being 8:40am and me having spent the last 16hrs working, if you will.

    Dave returns from hospital.
    Dave is feeling better.
    Dave sits down in his comfortable chair to watch the television.
    Dave relaxes.
    Dave looks confused as his hand all of a sudden starts moving, finds a piece of paper, and writes "Buy Cheerios!!!" on it.
    Dave curses, "Damn it".
    Dave looks even more confused as he stands up, walks towared the phone, and makes a phonecall to a number that his hand doesn't allow him to see.
    Dave whispers something into the phone, and then sits back down in his chair.
    Dave curses again, "Damn spyware" :/

  16. Re:I have to wonder... by TheSpoom · · Score: 3, Funny

    We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Your biological and technological distictiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile.

    --
    It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
    - E. Debs
  17. No, this is the joke by cachorro · · Score: 5, Funny

    One day, in line at the company cafeteria, Jack says to Mike behind him, "My elbow hurts like hell. I guess I better see a doctor. " "Listen, don't waste time," Mike replies. "There's a diagnostic computer down at Asda. Just give it a urine sample and the computer'll tell you what's wrong and what to do about it. It takes ten seconds and costs five pounds. . . a lot quicker and better than a doctor. " So Jack deposits a urine sample in a small jar and takes it to Asda.

    He deposits five pounds, and the computer lights up and asks for the urine sample. He pours the sample into the slot and waits.

    Ten seconds later, the computer ejects a printout: "You have tennis elbow. Soak your arm in warm water and avoid heavy activity. It will improve in two weeks"

    That evening while thinking how amazing this new technology was, Jack began wondering if the computer could be fooled. He mixed some tap water, a stool sample from his dog, urine samples from his wife and daughter, and masturbated into the mixture for good measure. Jack hurries back to Asda, eager to check the results. He deposits five pounds, pours in his concoction, and awaits the results. The computer prints the following:

    1. Your tap water is too hard. Get a water softener.
    2. Your dog has ringworm. Bathe him with anti-fungal shampoo.
    3. Your daughter has a cocaine habit. Get her into rehab.
    4. Your wife is pregnant. Twins. They aren't yours. Get a lawyer.
    5. If you don't stop playing with yourself, your elbow will never get better. and thank you for shopping at Asda.

  18. Re:I have to wonder... by sTavvy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Whos Dave?

    Dave's not here man.

  19. Re:I have to wonder... by DrLudicrous · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's me, Dave, man! Let me in!

  20. Re:May sound like a joke... by wuice · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does that mean we get to fuck diseases out of existence? Sexually transmitted diseases call for sexually transmitted cures.

  21. DNA & DMCA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    just wondering... is DNA ressearch illegal under DMCA? it's sort of decompiling the genetic source code in a certain way

  22. Re:I have to wonder... by Orgazmus · · Score: 2, Funny

    Dave's not here man!

    --
    The system had the verbosity of HTML combined with all the readability of compiled assembly viewed as bitmap images