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DNA Makes Lifeless Materials Shapeshift (sciencemag.org)

Posted by yaelk on from the shapeshifters dept.

sciencehabit writes: Researchers have engineered tiny gold particles that can assemble into a variety of crystalline structures simply by adding a bit of DNA to the solution that surrounds them. Down the road, such reprogrammable particles could be used to make materials that reshape themselves in response to light, or to create novel catalysts that reshape themselves as reactions proceed.

26 comments

  1. Democrats will use this for evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    That's what they do. What they do.

    1. Re:Democrats will use this for evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Wow, what a good post. Please mod parent up

    2. Re:Democrats will use this for evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      DNA encodes GOD'S WILL. If you mess with DNA you mess with GODS WILL. You will be punished in hell for it. The democrats will be, yes they will.

    3. Re:Democrats will use this for evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You are so right. I can't do anything but agree with you. Great post, please mod up.

    4. Re:Democrats will use this for evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The democrats GOD "science" is much less powerful than the real GOD. Only the real GOD became flesh and died for our sins. Science will kill us all, that's all. The democrats will get us all killed. They will be our ruin.

    5. Re:Democrats will use this for evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      "Athiesm"

      Gesundheit! That *was* a sneeze, yes?

  2. no spirit no real concious conscience by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    our secret ingredient... we're full of it with plenty to spare... in the moms we trust

  3. I, for one, by Culture20 · · Score: 1

    I, for one, welcome our new technorganic Phalanx overlords and look forward to joining the glorious union of the Babel Spire.

  4. Battlezone by pcjunky · · Score: 1

    Great shades of bio-metal.

  5. Odo by rossdee · · Score: 1

    So how is Rene Auberjenois doing these days

  6. New gold standard? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So, there's a new gold standard in the world.
    How long till it causes the world to spiral out of control?
    Oh, wait, that already happens without having the above causing one to be a gold flakey.

  7. dotr by Hylandr · · Score: 1

    Dawn of the Replicants!

    --
    ~ People that think they are better than anyone else for any reason are the cause of all the strife in the world.
  8. hey, this may pan out to something interesting by swell · · Score: 3

    Goddammit this is important shit. Fundamental research can sometimes be even more important than an update to your linux software or the Kardashian news of the day. ...Or not...

    --
    ...omphaloskepsis often...
    1. Re:hey, this may pan out to something interesting by Lennie · · Score: 1

      Lots of people may say: Apple is so cool they invented the iPhone, bla, bla.

      But the iPhone wouldn't have happened without the fundamental research which was paid for by the government.

      I know companies call their department sometimes research & development, but sometimes you'd think it's just development.

      --
      New things are always on the horizon
    2. Re:hey, this may pan out to something interesting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I know companies call their department sometimes research & development, but sometimes you'd think it's just development.

      The research part comes from not actually knowing what they are doing when developing something. Once you have done it wrong a few times, you have gained some information.

    3. Re:hey, this may pan out to something interesting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I know companies call their department sometimes research & development, but sometimes you'd think it's just development.

      Well you did say they call it "sometimes research & development"... what do you expect

    4. Re: hey, this may pan out to something interesting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Catoms were big a while ago, I hope this can do better.

  9. Not entirely true by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I put some of my DNA onto my barbie collection and they are still lifeless.

  10. DNA is not eternal by ITRambo · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What happens to the shapes when the DNA disintegrates? I presume that real organic DNA is being used here and that its removal leads to a return to chaos for the gold particles.

    1. Re:DNA is not eternal by Gilgaron · · Score: 1

      A reshaping catalyst wouldn't need to last longer than the length of the reaction anyhow. Although depending on how fancy they can be maybe you could intentionally build something that still functions after the scaffolding 'rots' off.

  11. So ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    With the release of XCom 2, we've discovered how to create the Outsiders from XCom : Enemy Unknown

  12. Am I the only one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...who read "DNA Makes Lifeless Maternals apeshit"?

    FSM, I need coffee...

  13. They found us! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Must warn Optimus Prime.

  14. PROGRAMMABLE PARTICALS? by ArylAkamov · · Score: 1

    TRANSFORMERS SOON