Mankind: Creator of life

[Cohazard]

Today I read what is probably one of the most profound articles of news I've ever read in my life.

Man has progressed passed biotechnology and synthetic genes, to complete strands of DNA which thus create single celled organisms.

According to the article, so far only natural DNA sequences have been created (a carbon copy of an existing life form) but that coding for custom life forms are already being worked on, thus a true living organism that has been created by man.

This scientific breakthrough will no doubt shake the very structure of theology, philosophy, science, and life as we know it. It seems that volumes of science fiction has suddenly turned into 'science-plausible'.

The intention is good behind the developers of the science. They hope to create single celled life that will produce hydrogen and ethanol, clean burning fuel for the future.

However, there will always be those who seek to manipulate it for the harm of mankind. Synthetic viruses have already been programmed, and a genetic mutation (such as the one behind bird flu's new ability to be transmitted to humans) could prove to be the downfall of life as we know it. So could not preparing ourselves by not supporting research in the field, and allowing other nations to advance and progress past our capabilities. Advanced technology is why the current leading nations of the world are in the positions they are.


Open your mind and read the article here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/16/AR2007121601900.html




In case you didn't know how far biotechnology has progressed (I was shocked, I had no idea when I stumbled across the following links through google!) you can order customized genes and other biotechnology tools from the following companies.... just a couple of many I'm sure.

Intelechon: http://www.entelechon.com/index.php?lang=eng

Check out their news section (second entry from the top) which addressed the security concerns of allowing online application for customized genes.

Geneart: http://www.geneart.com/?gclid=COzE_4vvuJACFQ8nawodz0fFLw

 

[DeLgAdO]

interesting....

 

[iORi]

"the gene of your choice"
pretty soon everyone's gonna have custom genes..??


awesome

 

[Freeze_Dried_Bloodworm]

cool... they can fix way too much with all that really

 

[davo]

I don't like that one bit... it's something that is asking to go wrong.

 

[Cohazard]

"the gene of your choice"
pretty soon everyone's gonna have custom genes..??


awesome

well, 50 years from now, our great grandkids could be customizing their own monster fish!

forget black atf, how about tiger stripe ATF?

cool... they can fix way too much with all that really

That's the driving factor behind the research. Imagine a world where we can cure anything. Though (as is our nature) peaceful intentions don't always prevail, and the opportunity for militarization is vast.

don't like that one bit... it's something that is asking to go wrong.

It sounds very dangerous at first, but trust that these scientists aren't just just throwing genes together to see what happens. The research being done right now is using single celled creatures that need a specific lab controlled environment to live, as they would simply die off if say, because their food is not available in sufficient quantities.

Though, if our government ever sinks to a police state as some predict, don't trust that flu shot anymore

 

[Fish_are_fishfood]

I thought they already did that, didn't anybody see Jurassic Park?

 

[Ang]

This scientific breakthrough will no doubt shake the very structure of theology,

Not really. It just is proof that it takes intelligent beings to create life.
And even then, its not like man is creating life from nothing.

"stitching ordinary chemical ingredients together to make life's most extraordinary molecule"

quote from the site.

"Unlike conventional biotechnology, in which scientists induce modest genetic changes in cells to make them serve industrial purposes, synthetic biology involves the large-scale rewriting of genetic codes to create metabolic machines with singular purposes."

Sounds like the beginning of the end if you ask me.

 

[Cohazard]

Not really. It just is proof that it takes intelligent beings to create life.
And even then, its not like man is creating life from nothing.
quote from the site.



Sounds like the beginning of the end if you ask me.

I guess you're right, because especially with christianity the trend has always been to adapt to change and 're-write the book' so to speak. It is because of that pattern that not even christians follow the bible word for word, otherwise they'd never shave their beards, they'd all be in prison (for stoning adulterers), and so on and so forth.


The point is not that man is summoning life from nothingness, but that life is formed from the molecules and elements that make up the universe, or existence. For now, the first artificial life form will be a copy of an existing living cell, a very simple single cell bacteria that causes rash in the genital area of humans (ewww).

The next step is to create equally simple artificial life, unique in existence, sculpted by the mind of a human being.



This is nothing to be feared. I'm sure people feared bio-technology at first too, and now the people go widely unaware at how much their day to day involves bio-technology.

 

[hamato_yoshii]

I guess you're right, because especially with christianity the trend has always been to adapt to change and 're-write the book' so to speak. It is because of that pattern that not even christians follow the bible word for word, otherwise they'd never shave their beards, they'd all be in prison (for stoning adulterers), and so on and so forth.

Not to nit-pick, but this is not true. After any honest study of the Bible, you will find that man is no longer bound to the Old Testament Law, because of what Jesus did on the cross. As a Christian, I do try to follow the Bible "word for word".