The article mentions a number of reasons why the # of genes that humans have really isn't a good measure of complexity. I think the easist to understand is the fact that one gene can code multiple proteins (molecular machines that do the work in your body).
The gene therapy link is irrelevant. Gene therapy causing cancer has very little to do with the # of genes in the genome. The problem is the mechanism being used to deliver fixed genes to human could cause cancer. Imagine someone sent you a patch for your code, but instead of injecting inserting it into the right place, it got inserted randomly -- obviously this could ause your program to crash. Well, that's what gene therapy was doing, sort-of. And instead of crashing, you got cancer.
There is a big difference here. The story you relay has happened many times before all over. But andn this is a BIG BUT, the people involved already knew some language, and those rules probably influenced the language they created.
In this case, these kids knew NO LANGUAGE at ALL. They just made one up out of THIN AIR. This is a very big difference.
RTFA . One day, I know people on/. will do this before commenting. This wasn't an experiment by anyone, this was just circumstance. Some researchers happened to notice what was going on and observed.
I am not a doctor, but I am a first year medical student... so I do know some of what I speak.
First, you are generally right on the immune system... it does attack itself -- but this is not because we have "too much immune system". No one really knows why this happens, but one popular conjecture is that since the environment has improved greatly (i.e. no parasites, less bacterial infection, air pollution down, etc. ) we aren't using certian parts of our immune system that used to be used all the time. These parts get "bored" and start to cuase havok. This is pretty much conjecture supported on circumsantial evidence, but its the only thing that makes sense at the momment. Immune system knowledge is increasing at an exponential rate due to modern molecular biology and high-through-put techniques, so hopefully we will have a better grasp of why this is soon.
On genetic engineering, you're basically right, its in its infancy, but you are making one fundamental mistake. Cancer generally involves errors in very specific types of genes. The types of genes used for gene-therapy are almost never in this cancer-causing set. The problem with gene therapy is that the mechanism to deliver the new genes is basically random and can introduce a lot of instability into your DNA. This means, by accident, you can mess up one of your genes that are cancer-prone.
Depends on what you mean by "Free". Does an ancient civilization have the means to defened its ideas compared to mega-corporations. Who is going to fund the focus groups that will best make their ideas appealing to kids? How are they going to compete w/Britney, Coke, and billions and billions of dollars? In the battle of ideas, the best funded ideas will always win. Just like the best funded military is gonna win.
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The article mentions a number of reasons why the # of genes that humans have really isn't a good measure of complexity. I think the easist to understand is the fact that one gene can code multiple proteins (molecular machines that do the work in your body).
The gene therapy link is irrelevant. Gene therapy causing cancer has very little to do with the # of genes in the genome. The problem is the mechanism being used to deliver fixed genes to human could cause cancer. Imagine someone sent you a patch for your code, but instead of injecting inserting it into the right place, it got inserted randomly -- obviously this could ause your program to crash. Well, that's what gene therapy was doing, sort-of. And instead of crashing, you got cancer.
There is a big difference here. The story you relay has happened many times before all over. But andn this is a BIG BUT, the people involved already knew some language, and those rules probably influenced the language they created.
In this case, these kids knew NO LANGUAGE at ALL. They just made one up out of THIN AIR. This is a very big difference.
RTFA . One day, I know people on /. will do this before commenting. This wasn't an experiment by anyone, this was just circumstance. Some researchers happened to notice what was going on and observed.
I am not a doctor, but I am a first year medical student ... so I do know some of what I speak.
... it does attack itself -- but this is not because we have "too much immune system". No one really knows why this happens, but one popular conjecture is that since the environment has improved greatly (i.e. no parasites, less bacterial infection, air pollution down, etc. ) we aren't using certian parts of our immune system that used to be used all the time. These parts get "bored" and start to cuase havok. This is pretty much conjecture supported on circumsantial evidence, but its the only thing that makes sense at the momment. Immune system knowledge is increasing at an exponential rate due to modern molecular biology and high-through-put techniques, so hopefully we will have a better grasp of why this is soon.
First, you are generally right on the immune system
On genetic engineering, you're basically right, its in its infancy, but you are making one fundamental mistake. Cancer generally involves errors in very specific types of genes. The types of genes used for gene-therapy are almost never in this cancer-causing set. The problem with gene therapy is that the mechanism to deliver the new genes is basically random and can introduce a lot of instability into your DNA. This means, by accident, you can mess up one of your genes that are cancer-prone.
Once in a while goliath gets sloppy. C.f. Microsoft vs. {Netscape, Real, Corel}. Its about sheer power, not better ideas or software.
Depends on what you mean by "Free". Does an ancient civilization have the means to defened its ideas compared to mega-corporations. Who is going to fund the focus groups that will best make their ideas appealing to kids? How are they going to compete w/Britney, Coke, and billions and billions of dollars? In the battle of ideas, the best funded ideas will always win. Just like the best funded military is gonna win.