Scientists Achieve Breakthrough in Engineering 'Artificial' Life

spectratg

spectratg

Senior Member
Location
Adamstown, MD
'The Independent' reports that scientists have created a yeast cell with 50% synthetic DNA, coming one step closer to creating complex "artificial" life. An international team combined over seven synthetic chromosomes into a single cell, which later survived and reproduced like a normal yeast cell. Yeast, which stores DNA within a nucleus, is a single-celled microbe classified as an "eukaryotic" organism. . 'The Independent' reports that it is the first time scientists have tried to engineer the entire genome of an eukaryote.

We decided that it was important to produce something that was very heavily modified from nature’s design, Professor Jef Boeke, synthetic biologist at New York University’s Langone Health and leader of Sc2.0, via 'The Independent' . Our overarching aim was to build a yeast that can teach us new biology, Professor Jef Boeke, synthetic biologist at New York University’s Langone Health and leader of Sc2.0, via 'The Independent' .

The team believes that their achievement could help develop new products like biofuels and vaccines. . The team believes that their achievement could help develop new products like biofuels and vaccines. . The synthetic chromosomes are massive technical achievements in their own right, but will also open up a huge range of new abilities for how we study and apply biology, Dr. Ben Blount, assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, via 'The Independent' . This could range from creating new microbial strains for greener bioproduction, through to helping us understand and combat disease, Dr. Ben Blount, assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, via 'The Independent' . The team's findings were published in the journals 'Cell,' 'Molecular Cell' and 'Cell Genomics.'

Recently we have started to be concerned about the potential danger of Artificial Intelligence. Should we also be concerned about Artificial Life (synthetic DNA) escaping some day from a laboratory and creating havoc with the natural order of life? Is mankind increasingly playing God with creation of new intelligence and new life?
 

Lewkat said:
This is something that will have to be studied over and over. Not only from the scientific community, but certainly the legals. We don't seem to consider the moral dilemmas in our scientific discoveries anymore at all.
Click to expand...
Yes, "we don't seem to consider the moral dilemmas in out scientific discoveries anymore at all." That was the opinion Aldous Huxley shared with the public— from the 1930s until his death (1963)—in his novels, essays, and television interviews.
 

Why would this be illegal? It's important to remember that progress in many fields is happening every day. Instead of catastrophizing, let's imagine what good could come of it. As a species, we have to grow, to reach the outer limits of our knowledge, and push through. We won't know all the consequences, but they could be enormously good.
 
spectratg said:
'The Independent' reports that scientists have created a yeast cell with 50% synthetic DNA, coming one step closer to creating complex "artificial" life. An international team combined over seven synthetic chromosomes into a single cell, which later survived and reproduced like a normal yeast cell. Yeast, which stores DNA within a nucleus, is a single-celled microbe classified as an "eukaryotic" organism. . 'The Independent' reports that it is the first time scientists have tried to engineer the entire genome of an eukaryote.

We decided that it was important to produce something that was very heavily modified from nature’s design, Professor Jef Boeke, synthetic biologist at New York University’s Langone Health and leader of Sc2.0, via 'The Independent' . Our overarching aim was to build a yeast that can teach us new biology, Professor Jef Boeke, synthetic biologist at New York University’s Langone Health and leader of Sc2.0, via 'The Independent' .

The team believes that their achievement could help develop new products like biofuels and vaccines. . The team believes that their achievement could help develop new products like biofuels and vaccines. . The synthetic chromosomes are massive technical achievements in their own right, but will also open up a huge range of new abilities for how we study and apply biology, Dr. Ben Blount, assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, via 'The Independent' . This could range from creating new microbial strains for greener bioproduction, through to helping us understand and combat disease, Dr. Ben Blount, assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, via 'The Independent' . The team's findings were published in the journals 'Cell,' 'Molecular Cell' and 'Cell Genomics.'

Recently we have started to be concerned about the potential danger of Artificial Intelligence. Should we also be concerned about Artificial Life (synthetic DNA) escaping some day from a laboratory and creating havoc with the natural order of life? Is mankind increasingly playing God with creation of new intelligence and new life?
Click to expand...
Messing around with DNA leaves a lot of unknowns and it worries me...

As a former biologist, I have studied and worked with DNA. When they genetically modified our food, I was upset because of the unknowns. Now, they are genetically (or will be) inserting synthesized genes into our environment. Do we really need this? They use the excuse that it will be better for us, as in this case, "build a yeast that can teach us new biology." What does that mean? Do we need new biology in our lives?

I am a strong believer that if something works, don't fix it.
 
And to make it even more frightening--“The singularity,” the moment where AI is no longer under human control, is less than a decade away—according to one AI expert.
 
I honestly believe they're trying to make immortals. And food for them to survive on. I think they're preparing for a time when the world becomes inhabitable and this is their way of playing God.
 
I don't think a DNA molecule is a sacred, holy thing. It's a bunch of chemicals. And there's no reason why science can't investigate how it works. If something comes slithering out of the lab, who is to say what is better- for evolution to create it or us?
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I don't think a DNA molecule is a sacred, holy thing. It's a bunch of chemicals. And there's no reason why science can't investigate how it works. If something comes slithering out of the lab, who is to say what is better- for evolution to create it or us?
Click to expand...
True, but there better be a lot of safeguards in place! Once the genie is out of the bottle . . .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top