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Researchers Create Logic Circuits From DNA

Posted by samzenpus on from the growing-a-faster-computer dept.

separsons writes "Researchers at Duke University recently used DNA to craft tiny chips used in computers and electronic circuits. By mixing DNA snippets with other molecules and exposing them to light, researchers created self-assembling, DNA-based logic circuits. Once perfected the tech could serve as an endlessly abundant, cheap alternative to silicon semiconductors. Chris Dwyer, lead researcher on the project, says that one grad student using DNA to make self-assembling circuits could produce more logic circuits in one day than the global silicon chip industry can create in an entire month!"

24 of 94 comments (clear)

  1. Mass production would be simple... by The+Mysterious+Dr.+X · · Score: 3, Informative

    All you need is a little polymerase chain reaction. I assume that's how the grad student could outdo the global silicon chip industry as mentioned in the article summary.

    1. Re:Mass production would be simple... by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Funny

      That and grad students can be made to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for nearly no pay.

    2. Re:Mass production would be simple... by John+Whitley · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This has certainly been the case in some disciplines, at some institutions. But it's much less common in disciplines where graduate students already have significant hiring potential (e.g. Computer Science), and doesn't happen at all where they've unionized.

      Unionization of graduate students actually happened while I was in grad school myself. It stopped some appalling abuses dead in their tracks. My department was an excellent one to work for, but many were pretty slimy. Not only were grads in some departments terribly overworked, but some shady practices were going on where hiring lines were split between several grads who were each doing overtime level work.

    3. Re:Mass production would be simple... by Alphathon · · Score: 3, Funny

      So this is how the robot apocalypse is to start eh? Well, I for one...you get the idea.

    4. Re:Mass production would be simple... by Sulphur · · Score: 3, Interesting

      If this stuff became sentient, then would it think it was a grad student?

    5. Re:Mass production would be simple... by The+Mysterious+Dr.+X · · Score: 2, Informative

      The PCR part is already largely autonomous. Throw all the ingredients into the mix, heat it up to a certain temperature in a warm bath, cool it off, heat it up again, cool it off again... You get the idea. Each cycle doubles the amount of DNA produced. All you have to do is make sure there's enough ingredients in the mix; most versions of the equipment can do the heating-cooling cycles themselves.

    6. Re:Mass production would be simple... by Compaqt · · Score: 2, Funny

      I, for one, welcome our new Cylon overlords.

      --
      I'm not a lawyer, but I play one on the Internet. Blog
  2. Johnny 5 by sexconker · · Score: 2, Funny

    Johnny 5 is alive.

  3. One grad student by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Chris Dwyer, lead researcher on the project, says that one grad student using DNA to make self-assembling circuits could produce more logic circuits in one day than the global silicon chip industry can create in an entire month!"

    Which grad student?

  4. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 2, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  5. One grad student producing DNA... by Chris+Burke · · Score: 5, Funny

    one grad student using DNA to make self-assembling circuits could produce more logic circuits in one day than the global silicon chip industry can create in an entire month!

    The jokes just write themselves.

    --

    The enemies of Democracy are
  6. Logic circuits from DNA... by Locke2005 · · Score: 3, Funny

    thus giving a whole new meaning to the term "computer virus"!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  7. Re:Did they use DNA from women? by sexconker · · Score: 5, Funny

    Did they use DNA from women?

    Of course not.
    They're building logic gates.

  8. Re:I'm working on a new horror movie. by ChefInnocent · · Score: 3, Funny

    I think you need to substitute the two nerds with two college girls. Then one of them is held hostage by the mad scientist. So, the other one had to run back for help from her sorority sisters. Some of whom are chemistry or physics majors with a fascination for big guns and fast cars.

  9. Short Circuit Movies by Oxford_Comma_Lover · · Score: 2, Informative

    > I understand this joke often gets +5 Funny, even though I don't know what it refers to. So here I go:
    > No disassemble Johnny 5!

    It's from a 1986 movie, Short Circuit. (There was also a sequel). Fun old family movie about an experimental robot developing a personality. In the second one, there are also bank robbers.

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091949/

    DNA developing into a robot is the other way round, of course.

    --
    -- IANAL, this isn't legal advice, and definitely isn't legal advice for you. Also, Squee!
  10. DIdn't Star Trek Voyager teach us anything? by kevinmenzel · · Score: 5, Funny

    Bio-neural gel packs SOUND like a good idea, but when cheese can take a federation starship out of commission, I start wondering about how good an idea this is to pursue.

    1. Re:DIdn't Star Trek Voyager teach us anything? by Cryacin · · Score: 2, Funny

      but when cheese can take a federation starship out of commission

      Brings a whole new definition to turning your brain into swiss cheese!

      --
      Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
    2. Re:DIdn't Star Trek Voyager teach us anything? by n+dot+l · · Score: 2

      Voyager also teaches us that aliens are basically humans with a good costume department.

      I'd be more worried about space-based asteroid-eating critters deciding they should nibble on the hull. Those would at least be in an environment that's vaguely similar to the one they evolved in.

      Alien cheese culture finding our particular chemistry tasty, our particular temperature and pH range livable, and having means to evade our immune responses is pretty damn unlikely...

    3. Re:DIdn't Star Trek Voyager teach us anything? by EdIII · · Score: 2, Funny

      You Sir are a cretin... I give you Seven-Of-Nine.....

      I don't remember one damn episode after all this time, but I can recall every single stitch of her costume.........

  11. A new family of processors. by tzot · · Score: 2, Funny

    Literally, that is.

    And a chance for radically different model names. For example, the slowest DNA-based model will be called "cousin Jed" or something.

    --
    I speak England very best
  12. What a load of cobblers by Ancient_Hacker · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As Turing might say: What a load of cobblers

    While you might be able to make ten gazillion AND gates, you still have the minor problem of HOOKING THEM UP into some useful logical building blocks, like adders, buffers, and memory. And the bigger problem of amplifying the results to a level acceptable to the following inputs. And figuring out how to distribute power (ATP) to each amplifier.

    And the signal levels are so low, thermal noise is going to induce a lot more errors than you'd like.

    And the speed is not likely to be very exciting.

    I would not start short-selling Intel stock based on this technology.

  13. Re:Did they use DNA from women? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Oh I dunno female DNA would be a shoein for flipflops.

  14. Heat by izomiac · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This sounds quite promising, but I'd worry about DNA's melting point. Double stranded DNA will melt and become single stranded DNA at around 100 degrees Celsius. However, this melting point is quite variable since GC bonds are ~50% stronger than AT bonds, so the actual melting point could be much higher or much lower. AFAIK doing any sort of calculation requires heat to be produced, so I'd imagine you'd get localized melting of the DNA and disruption of the engineered structure if you did any significant amount of work on it. I'll be interested to see how they solve this problem, since you can't really do much to increase the strength or the number of hydrogen bonds.

  15. Re:I'm working on a new horror movie. by iamhassi · · Score: 2, Funny

    I like the way your mind thinks

    --
    my karma will be here long after I'm gone