Great. The world needs another freak monster.
Posted on 10/05/2007 5:16:57 PM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
Craig Venter, the controversial DNA researcher involved in the race to decipher the human genetic code, has built a synthetic chromosome out of laboratory chemicals and is poised to announce the creation of the first new artificial life form on Earth.
The announcement, which is expected within weeks and could come as early as Monday at the annual meeting of his scientific institute in San Diego, California, will herald a giant leap forward in the development of designer genomes. It is certain to provoke heated debate about the ethics of creating new species and could unlock the door to new energy sources and techniques to combat global warming.
Mr Venter told the Guardian he thought this landmark would be "a very important philosophical step in the history of our species. We are going from reading our genetic code to the ability to write it. That gives us the hypothetical ability to do things never contemplated before".
The Guardian can reveal that a team of 20 top scientists assembled by Mr Venter, led by the Nobel laureate Hamilton Smith, has already constructed a synthetic chromosome, a feat of virtuoso bio-engineering never previously achieved. Using lab-made chemicals, they have painstakingly stitched together a chromosome that is 381 genes long and contains 580,000 base pairs of genetic code........
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Great. The world needs another freak monster.
Perhaps he can engineer a lifeform that is devoid of any type of deviant liberal tendencies.
Already been done: WARNING: Not for the weak hearted.
LOL. GMTA
If he really goes through with it, we’re all gonna be sorry.
Dems: Give it a driver's license, "free" health insurance, a $5000 bond and the right to vote.
For all anyone knows there are the designs (and parts) for an intergalactic cruiser out there just waiting to be picked up and turned on.
If something like this can be done, it will be done somewhere.
I have a little trouble seeing a single synthetic chromosome as a form of life.
Of course, there are dangers in this kind of bio-engineering.
Building viruses or bacteria from the ground-up is scientifically important and interesting if you are Craig Venter, but if you are Kim Jong Il or if you are a sloppy researcher, you might be putting all of us or all mammals or all plants in jeopardy.
I think there needs to be better controls on all sophisticated bio-labs around the world.
Wow, intelligently designed genomes by a designer who has only occupied this universe for the blink of an eye.
There are some things that shouldn’t be messed with. This is one of those things. The law of unintended consequences will operate here.
shhhheeesh is there ANY articles written any more that exclude the two words Global Warning.
You are absolutely right.
God will not be mocked, nor will He be imitated.
Yet another reflection of the arrogance of man. What an age we live in. Some think we can control the planet’s environment and others think they can and have the right to create life itself.
“The truest characters of ignorance are vanity, and pride and arrogance.” - Samuel Butler
So when something goes wrong, or gets out into the population we’ll know who to sue. Very thoughtful of these chaps.
Splitting the atom was heralded as a historic breakthrough. That certainly turned out well, didn’t it.
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