U.S. Denies Patent on Part-Human Hybrid

jimkski wrote to mention a Boston Globe story involving the refusal of a patent claim on a genetically engineered creature. From the article: "A New York scientist's seven-year effort to win a patent on a laboratory-conceived creature that is part human and part animal ended in failure Friday, closing a historic and somewhat ghoulish chapter in U.S. intellectual property law."

Comments

He would have won..

[EvilCabbage]

.. if he'd hired Disneys lawyers.

Re:He would have won..

[Stevyn]

That'd be a conflict of interest. They already own patents on talking, human-like animals.

And its name would be

[BoomerSooner]

You guessed it, Rush Limbaugh

Re:dare I say it?

[ConceptJunkie]

Nah, this is more likely because of the republican administration and the likely implication of granting this patent.

What? A bunch of human-monkey hybrids that will certainly vote Democrat?!

DAMN!

[Sophrosyne]

There goes my retirement plan!!
I was going to have some kids, patent them... then collect royalties off them when they have kids...
That way I could retire with relative ease.

Re:DAMN!

[kryptkpr]

I shouldn't ask.. but which animal did you plan on having kids with?

Re:DAMN!

[metlin]

That way I could retire with relative ease.

That's the *worst* pun I've ever heard. :-|

This is great news

[weave]

Now that they didn't get a patent for their creature, it means other people can run out and build their own without having to worry about getting sued. Open source creatures are safe!

Can't wait to get started on my perfect pet!

Well there go my dreams of financial independence.

[BeerSlurpy]

I was planning on creating an army of giant half human, half goat warriors that would obey my every command. I would use them in an elaborate plot to rob a bank and hold the UN hostage. Then again, maybe the plan is worth going ahead with even if I cant patent it.

Still, as long as it isnt part human, your chances of prevailing in the patent office seem pretty good. Which means the giant radioactive bees are definitely good to go.

what...??

[to_kallon]

creature that is part human and part animal
wow, talk about prior art.....

Re:Wow - you had me at "US denies patent".

[Anonymous Coward]

"Nice to see - my faith in the Patent system has raised slightly from 'completely hopeless' to 'mostly hopeless'"

Funny, my opinion went from 'harmless' tp 'mostly harmless'.

A photograph of the actual hyrbrid

[Anonymous Coward]

....can be seen here:

http://www.histar.com/mornings/starchive/2002/11 /i mages/michael_jackson.jpg

Ants, Bees and Beatles

[xtermin8]

For "conquering the planet" and "taming the forces of nature" I'd say the ants have far surpassed us. For sheer biomass and diversity, check out the info on beatles. We definitely have it all over the other primates, though. Humans rock!

Re:Frightening

[king-manic]

Do we have a right to play God?

We're not playing god. We're playing "code monkey". The language just happens to be DNA and we're reverse engineering a set of programs doen by a vastly supurior coder... sorta like a VB programmer trying to understand and modify the vi source code.

Re:Kosher pork

[strelitsa]

I have no issues with religious sects eating what they want (or not as the case may be). However, just to be perverse (and to cover both sides of the argument if you will), I do pull out the following Old Testament passage (stolen from an idea by Diane Duane) once in a while then note the reaction.

Deuteronomy 23:13 And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee ...

I've been in a lot of churches of all faiths, but have never seen one yet without an indoor privy.