Synthetic Life

Scientific American ^ | 04/26/2004 | W. Wayt Gibbs

[general_re]

bonk

[ASA Vet]

Will this go 6 posts before it's taken over?

[metacognative]

If you believe evolution can create newer, higher, more complex organisms, countering the Second Law stating that everything runs down...you must be a theist.
Inanimate nature cannot do miracles like run water uphill.

[Junior]

Maybe nano-technology need not be robotic in nature, after all. Can you imagine being innoculated with tailor-made bacteria that would fight disease or repair damage?

[general_re]

If you believe evolution can create newer, higher, more complex organisms, countering the Second Law stating that everything runs down...you must be a theist.
Inanimate nature cannot do miracles like run water uphill.

I assume you also believe that God personally assembles each and every snowflake. The logic would be identical, after all.

[general_re]

Maybe nano-technology need not be robotic in nature, after all. Can you imagine being innoculated with tailor-made bacteria that would fight disease or repair damage?

Right. Plus, assuming that the state of the art continues to advance, we might be able to reverse-engineer current systems, and produce replacements, possibly even improving on the originals. Maybe someday you'll be able to pop down to the organ shop for the new Liver 2.0, which not only does all the things your current liver does, but it also scrubs your blood for particular carcinogens and prevents hangovers to boot ;)

[lelio]

countering the Second Law stating that everything runs down

Can you expand on that?

[metacognative]

Water freezing follows physico-chemical laws toward equilibrium. Evolution does not progress toward equilibrium, just the opposite.

[metacognative]

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that complexity and differences in general will be levelled out. The universe moves toward Heat Death..the Arrow of Time. Evolution, from molecules to Man is upward..totally against 'entropy'.
This tendency can only be countered by energy and intelligent effort...as in housework, gardening, mechanical repairs etc.

[general_re]

Water freezing follows physico-chemical laws toward equilibrium.

What happened to the Second Law? A snowflake has less entropy than liquid water, therefore it can't happen naturally - that is what you said, except that you apparently think your special misunderstanding of the Second Law applies to DNA but not snowflakes.

Evolution does not progress toward equilibrium, just the opposite.

Prove it. Start be defining "equilibrium" as it applies to evolution.

[js1138]

If you believe evolution can create newer, higher, more complex organisms, countering the Second Law stating that everything runs down...

According to your interpretation of thermodynamics, life is impossible, since it runs uphill. But your interpretation is wrong.

[LiteKeeper]

YEC INTREP - GENETICS

[Junior]

Living organisms grow, contradictory to your version the 2LoT.

[PatrickHenry]

PING. [This list is for the evolution side of evolution threads, and some other science topics like cosmology. Long-time list members get all pings, but can request evo-only status. New additions will be evo-only, but can request all pings. FReepmail me to be added or dropped. Specify all pings or you'll get evo-pings only.]

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[balrog666]

2LOT arguments? Gosh, where do they "think" these arguments up?

Oh, wait, nevermind, they just use their @sses instead of their brains.

[Physicist]

Inanimate nature cannot do miracles like run water uphill.

Why does it keep raining? Hasn't the sky run out of water, yet?

[Modernman]

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that complexity and differences in general will be levelled out. The universe moves toward Heat Death..the Arrow of Time. Evolution, from molecules to Man is upward..totally against 'entropy'.

The 2LOT applies in a closed system. The Earth is not a closed system.

[longshadow]

Why does it keep raining? Hasn't the sky run out of water, yet?

Angels with buckets, haven't you heard?

;-)