The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > Article Comments > This synthetic life > Comments

This synthetic life : Comments

By Roger Kalla, published 21/6/2007

Biodiversity is changing dramatically: natural selection is being bypassed and man is becoming the Intelligent Designer.

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. All
Right to the point and of great relevance. I hope many visitors to OLO read it.
Posted by healthwatcher, Thursday, 21 June 2007 9:19:12 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
let's hope that the coming 'superman' gets rid of the old prototype in a painless way.

since the prototype doesn't have the genes for survival in a compressed ecology, i suppose we should hope that superman gets here in time to sustain the technology that he will need.

this will keep the next few generations interested, and the ones after that, only hypothetical.
Posted by DEMOS, Thursday, 21 June 2007 9:59:17 AM
Find out more about this user Visit this user's webpage Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Let's be clear about what Venter has done. He has not assembled a new life form from individually designed pieces. He has simply mutated genes in an already existing microorganism to find the absolute minimum set of genes required for life (on a rich source of food). Even then he is not certain that this is the truly minimal set of genes. You can read about this yourself by reading the patent application:

http://tinyurl.com/34399e

You will not yet read about this in a scientific journal since it has not been subjected to peer-review.

Venter has created an interesting tool but most of the excitement over what he has done is hype (and the author of this Online Opinion article is also in the GM business where hype out means dollars in). We need to remember that any derivatives of the minimal-gene set organsims that Venter builds will probably be at such a severe selective disadvantage relative to "natural" organisms that they will only be able to survive and function in otherwise sterile environments. Don't hold your breath waiting to see artificial life forms roaming free on the planet. Besides, once the energy crisis hits (soon) all this complex high-tech playing around will become increasingly difficult to sustain.
Posted by michael_in_adelaide, Thursday, 21 June 2007 10:46:28 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
michael_in_adelaide

A good comment. However, throughout the history of biology, those who have jumped in to point out the weaknesses in pioneering research, a later generation have witnessed those weaknesses being overcome. When I was at school 60 years ago there were many claims of what science could “never” do but which have since been proven to be bad guesses. There have been so many bad guesses from those worried about the advance of biology, it is now advisable not to pre-empt failure but just wait and see.
Posted by healthwatcher, Thursday, 21 June 2007 11:15:27 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Hi Healthwatcher,

I am not preempting failure - just trying to scrape off the excess hype. I used to have high hopes for a bright technological future (I was a huge reader of science fiction etc. and I am a research scientist) but since learning of the energy crisis (now underway but we are yet to see the major effects of it in the developed world) and understanding the connection between energy and complexity/technology, I realise that the future is one of technological simplification rather than advance. Venter's antics can only be supported by a functioning high-tech economy. That time is ending. In 100 years we may not even remember who he was - and all that sequence data (including the human genome) will be lost as computer manufacturing (and hence maintenance) becomes impossible. If you do not understand this then read:

http://www.energybulletin.net/18978.html

See especially the section on microprocessors.
Posted by michael_in_adelaide, Thursday, 21 June 2007 11:32:02 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
A very small storm in a very large tea-cup. Mankind's old enemies - hunger, disease, conflict and natural attrition will control things for many a long day yet.
Posted by GYM-FISH, Thursday, 21 June 2007 11:35:51 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy