Slashdot Mirror
Scientists Build Possibly The First Man-Made Genome
hackingbear writes "Wired is reporting that researchers have created the longest synthetic genome to date by threading together four long strands of DNA. 'Leading synthetic biologists said with the new work, published Thursday in the journal Science, the first synthetic life could be just months away — if it hasn't been created already. [...] The ability to synthesize longer DNA strands for less money parallels the history of genetic sequencing, where the price of sequencing a human genome has dropped from hundreds of millions of dollars to about $10,000. Just a few years ago, synthesizing a piece of DNA with 5,000 rungs in its helix, known as base-pairs, was impossible. Venter's new synthetic genome is 582,000 base-pairs.' As a programmer, I'm most excited by the possibility of a new platform and the programming jobs that will be created by it."
But Jesus, and the Bible!
Our intelligent designer has never created an animal that we couldn't improve by strapping a bomb to it.
I'd be more worried about the tech becoming common enough and easy enough to use that anyone with $100,000 and some spare time can make a super-virus, or a bacterium that is extremely hardy and destroys wheat or rice crops, or any number of other nasty things.
No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
If 'grey goo' could happen from nanotech or biotech, then bacteria would have done it already.
So far, all that's happened is some assorted earthtone sludge.
In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure dome decree
As a regular guy, I am NOT excited by the thought of thousands of fat, greasy programmers drooling over a test tube and a well worn copy of "Weird Science."
As my friend Han was so fond of saying, "I've got a bad feeling about this."
Well, back to rejecting software patent applications.
I have my own theory; so many things in this world annoy me that they couldn't have happened by random chance. Instead they are proof of some supreme cosmic being who shaped the world just to piss me off.
I call my theory Belligerent Design. (with all credit to Lore Sjoberg for that joke).
Still, I can't help but wonder... is the entire universe against me? Or just the part where light has reached since my birth? Don't laugh; it's an important question.
You need a genetic sample [of Christ]
Acquire a Catholic who has just taken communion and induce him to vomit, thereby producing a viable sample of body and blood.
Who says science and faith aren't compatible?
Step into a huge movement. Don't Tread In Me.