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Scientist Creates Synthetic Life in Lab

Comments

  • #2
    Joey the lips
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,262 ✭✭✭✭Joey the lips


    Cool..... although nothing beats the real thing.... Why ethical implications... You want to talk ethics...an obease women runs the irish health service..now there is ethics in question


  • #3
    SugarHigh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,265 ✭✭✭SugarHigh


    Joey the lips wrote: »
    Cool..... although nothing beats the real thing.... Why ethical implications... You want to talk ethics...an obease women runs the irish health service..now there is ethics in question
    Ethics come into it when deciding how it should be used considering the affects this could have on an ecosystem and how hard it would be to contain if something went wrong.


  • #4
    Abrasax
    Closed Accounts Posts: 977 ✭✭✭Abrasax


    Joey the lips wrote: »
    Why ethical implications...

    It's life, Joey, but not as we know it.


  • #5
    GLaDOS
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 23,238 Mod ✭✭✭✭GLaDOS


    SugarHigh wrote: »
    Ethics come into it when deciding how it should be used considering the affects this could have on an ecosystem and how hard it would be to contain if something went wrong.
    The same stuff would be considered with genetic engineering in fairness, I wouldn't worry about it.

    Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the test



  • #6
    artanevilla
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 10,973 Mod ✭✭✭✭artanevilla


    Ah sure North Korea did that ages ago.


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  • #7
    Kasabian
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,688 ✭✭✭Kasabian


    Synthetic life has been around for years , just look at Gay Bryne


  • #8
    Fremen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,481 ✭✭✭Fremen


    They did this in "Species". With sexy results.


  • #9
    genericguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,831 ✭✭✭genericguy


    i've always been a huge fan of his, his nickname in scientific circles is hitler. just goes to show you, if you're successful people will invariably hate you.

    fcuking begrudgers are everywhere.


  • #10
    bonerm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,595 ✭✭✭bonerm


    sizabletomato wrote: »
    Breakthrough news here, Dr. Craig Venter is behind the new technology, which could have ethical implications.

    Artifically created biofuel? Cheap sustainable energy for everyone? Sounds promising! So when is he scheduled for execution?


  • #11
    SugarHigh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,265 ✭✭✭SugarHigh


    ScienceNerd wrote: »
    The same stuff would be considered with genetic engineering in fairness, I wouldn't worry about it.
    Thankfully the scientists will.

    And I don't understand the point of your first sentence, why did you add in fairness to the end? Does the fact ethical problems pop up in other sciences somehow lessen the potential problem of ethics of this science?


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  • #12
    PeterIanStaker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,072 ✭✭✭PeterIanStaker


    News Just In - Louis Walsh becomes newly created synthetic life's manager.


  • #13
    cian1500ww
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,904 ✭✭✭cian1500ww


    Real life is much more fun to create :D


  • #14
    Ann22
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,004 ✭✭✭Ann22


    My son just said a scary thing....'if they create synthetic life, that'll prove the non-existence of souls....that would mean we have no souls'....:eek::(

    My son's 6


    Only joking, he's 20:D


  • #15
    GLaDOS
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 23,238 Mod ✭✭✭✭GLaDOS


    SugarHigh wrote: »
    Thankfully the scientists will.
    Well yeah, that's their job
    And I don't understand the point of your first sentence, why did you add in fairness to the end? Does the fact ethical problems pop up in other sciences somehow lessen the potential problem of ethics of this science?
    These ethical implications are nothing new, just in a different context. Genetic engineering would be fairly closely related to this i.e. making new bacteria etc. So the ethical considerations wouldn't have to be change particularly.

    Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the test



  • #16
    SugarHigh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,265 ✭✭✭SugarHigh


    ScienceNerd wrote: »
    Well yeah, that's their job


    These ethical implications are nothing new, just in a different context. Genetic engineering would be fairly closely related to this i.e. making new bacteria etc. So the ethical considerations wouldn't have to be change particularly.
    In your fist post it seemed you were being very dismissive of the ethical ramifications which are a perfectly valid discussion point.


  • #17
    Mrmoe
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,215 ✭✭✭Mrmoe


    ScienceNerd wrote: »
    Well yeah, that's their job


    These ethical implications are nothing new, just in a different context. Genetic engineering would be fairly closely related to this i.e. making new bacteria etc. So the ethical considerations wouldn't have to be change particularly.

    I think that is the situation all right. This is really only an expansion on current techniques. They are really just doing it on a whole genome scale rather than a single gene. Genetic engineers/microbiologists create different types of life all the time. It is an import method breakthrough all the same.


  • #18
    GLaDOS
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 23,238 Mod ✭✭✭✭GLaDOS


    SugarHigh wrote: »
    In your fist post it seemed you were being very dismissive of the ethical ramifications which are a perfectly valid discussion point.
    I'm not dismissing them, I just find Sky's reporting tends to lean towards: Ethical ramifications = potentially evil.

    Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the test



  • #19
    sink
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,314 ✭✭✭sink


    That kind of blows the door wide open, the next step will be to create a synthetic Eukaryote, that will knock the building down. Sythetic pets, anyone?


  • #20
    GLaDOS
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 23,238 Mod ✭✭✭✭GLaDOS


    sink wrote: »
    That kind of blows the door wide open, the next step will be to create a synthetic Eukaryote, that will knock the building down. Sythetic pets, anyone?
    Indeed, very exciting times ahead. Be interesting to see what "original" organisms they can make, instead of recreating/closely copying existing ones.

    Can't wait to read the journal after my exams.

    Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the test



  • #21
    genericguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,831 ✭✭✭genericguy


    sink wrote: »
    That kind of blows the door wide open, the next step will be to create a synthetic Eukaryote, that will knock the building down. Sythetic pets, anyone?

    personally i'm working on creating permanent puppies.

    imagine having a saint bernard that would stay a house-friendly size forever. PROFIT!


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  • #22
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,378 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    It makes him the most legitimate "God" we've ever known.


  • #23
    sink
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,314 ✭✭✭sink


    One way to look at it is this is the first life which does not share a common ancestor with all other known life. Our lineage along with all other known life until this point, stretches back 3.7 billion years. This lifeforms lineage stretches back a few days, that is pretty profound.


  • #24
    shizz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,506 ✭✭✭shizz


    sink wrote: »
    One way to look at it is this is the first life which does not share a common ancestor with all other known life. Our lineage along with all other known life until this point, stretches back 3.7 billion years. This lifeforms lineage stretches back a few days, that is pretty profound.

    Surely this life would have a common ancestor in the yeast cell? Its only one chromosome in difference? or did they add a complete extra chromosome?


  • #25
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,518 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    It says simple bacterium then claims it was a yeast cell.
    Typical sky news ****e.


  • #26
    GLaDOS
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 23,238 Mod ✭✭✭✭GLaDOS


    shizz wrote: »
    Surely this life would have a common ancestor in the yeast cell? Its only one chromosome in difference? or did they add a complete extra chromosome?
    Deleted User wrote: »
    It says simple bacterium then claims it was a yeast cell.
    Typical sky news ****e.

    The DNA did not come from yeast, they just used the yeast cell mechanisms to create the proteins etc needed. it's a fairly common process.

    It's like implanting an egg in a surrogate mothers womb, she gives birth, but it is not related to her at all.

    Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the test



  • #27
    sink
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,314 ✭✭✭sink


    shizz wrote: »
    Surely this life would have a common ancestor in the yeast cell? Its only one chromosome in difference? or did they add a complete extra chromosome?

    http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/science.1190719

    According to the Science journal synopses the genome is entirely synthetic, digitally programmed on computer before being synthesised and inserted into an empty cell. The genome had no prior ancestor it was completely made by man programmed using a computer.


  • #28
    GLaDOS
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 23,238 Mod ✭✭✭✭GLaDOS


    sink wrote: »
    One way to look at it is this is the first life which does not share a common ancestor with all other known life. Our lineage along with all other known life until this point, stretches back 3.7 billion years. This lifeforms lineage stretches back a few days, that is pretty profound.
    We'll be seeing pictures of it in science textbooks in years to come, really is mind blowing when you put it like that.

    Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the test



  • #29
    smellslikeshoes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,354 ✭✭✭smellslikeshoes


    This really is amazing stuff. Could potentially open the door for some massive breakthroughs.


  • #30
    shizz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,506 ✭✭✭shizz


    ScienceNerd wrote: »
    The DNA did not come from yeast, they just used the yeast cell mechanisms to create the proteins etc needed. it's a fairly common process.

    It's like implanting an egg in a surrogate mothers womb, she gives birth, but it is not related to her at all.

    Ah yes thanks for clearing that up.


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  • #31
    ilovebiology
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 260 ✭✭ilovebiology


    Ah yes, its an excellent day for biology :D


  • #32
    starbelgrade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,739 ✭✭✭✭starbelgrade


    smellslikeshoes wrote: »
    This really is amazing stuff. Could potentially open the door for some massive breakthroughs.

    Jurassic Park could finally become a reality - wooohooooo!!!!


  • #33
    Sea Sharp
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭Sea Sharp


    That's really interesting. I wonder could they make life that is more prone to genetic mutations so that we can observe evolution happening quicker.


  • #34
    starbelgrade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,739 ✭✭✭✭starbelgrade


    GaNjaHaN wrote: »
    That's really interesting. I wonder could they make life that is more prone to genetic mutations so that we can observe evolution happening quicker.

    Mutant Ninja Turtles could finally become a reality - wooohoooo!!!


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