Scientists create a living organism

[venture]

Scientists create a living organism - CNN.com

Scientists have turned inanimate chemicals into a living organism in an experiment that raises profound questions about the essence of life.
Craig Venter, the U.S. genomics pioneer, announced on Thursday that scientists at his laboratories in Maryland and California had succeeded in their 15-year project to make the world's first "synthetic cells" -- bacteria called Mycoplasma mycoides.

"We have passed through a critical psychological barrier," Dr. Venter told the FT. "It has changed my own thinking, both scientifically and philosophically, about life, and how it works."

The bacteria's genes were all constructed in the laboratory "from four bottles of chemicals on a chemical synthesizer, starting with information on a computer," he said.

The research -- published online by the journal Science -- was hailed as a landmark by many independent scientists and philosophers.

Pretty cool stuff. Imagine if this could be used in the further development of regrowing damaged cells in the body, vaccines, and other things.

[Midtowner]

This will soon be illegal in Oklahoma.

[kevinpate]

This will soon be illegal in Oklahoma.

creating such life, or discussing the possibility, or both?

(btw, the third combo option was put there only partially in jest.)

[mugofbeer]

Oh, this has been going on for a long time. How do you think we got (insert favorite target)........

[jn1780]

Skynet!

[OKCisOK4me]

Croatoan

[krisb]

Ok, that's it. I am now an atheist.

[mheaton76]

A friend and I were discussing this yesterday on FB. One of the takeaways for me was that even though this result is very exciting, there's been a lot of R&D in extending our synthetic DNA capabilities.

These tools just make it easier to design changes in DNA molecules. But those changes were already being made with other tools, so this is really an increase in degree. Thus, Venter's announcement is more iterative and not paradigm shifting.

There is no denying, however, the "coolness" of this result, and when these new tools are likely to have many useful applications.

Essentially, we are reaching the point where we can design entirely new life forms on the computer. Life forms that can have medicinal applications, or even designing bacteria that can secrete fossil fuels (no more gulf spills if that one could ever be scaled up to industrial capacity!). The flip side of the coin are those who may use these tools to design new life forms as biological weapons - so, it's definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Big picture, though, amazing that for the first time in earth's history, new life forms are being created by computers and not God (presumably).

[decepticobra]

this has already been done years beforehand by schoolkids. it comes in 3 colored packets and an aquarium and sold for $5.00....i believe they call it SEA MONKEYS???

[mheaton76]

this has already been done years beforehand by schoolkids. it comes in 3 colored packets and an aquarium and sold for $5.00....i believe they call it SEA MONKEYS???

LOL - that IS funny ... but, it's more than sea monkeys. Here's the web site for the Venter institute - has some great stuff for further reading:

JCVI: Research / Projects / First Self-Replicating Synthetic Bacterial Cell / Overview