This was interesting. I'm very skeptical, but damn, imagine the implications... [URL]http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/may/20/craig-venter-synthetic-life-form[/URL]

Re: Wow?

so we are going to build aliens ourselves since we can't find any? stupid, imo. i hesitate to say it, but i think we're getting too smart for our own good.

Re: Wow?

i just think as technology evolves and "intelligence" advances, common sense diminishes

Re: Wow?

I don't find anything wrong with it, especially if they are planning on using the bacteria in the way mentioned in the article i.e. for engineering BioFuels or working towards fixing greenhouse gases.

You could draw out far-stretched comparisons to "I am Legend", but you will never know how far to push the envelope until the envelope pushes back. I for one am a firm believer in the advancement of Science and if the intent is benign, I'm all for it.

Re: Wow?

I think this is fantastic. What I've been thinking would be great is designing hardy organisms for terraforming purposes. Get a decent payload of a combination of them and chuck it onto Mars or something and see if they can sustain themselves. Then by the time we can actually reliably get there there might be some kind of atmosphere and primordial ecosystem. Maybe :lol:

Re: Wow?

[IMG]http://sarcasticgamer.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/poster25111269xn5.jpg[/IMG]

Re: Wow?

i can see your point guys and i think its great for kamal's point, biofuels... there's always the mad scientist, though. just like cloning built up to cloning humans... i think that's wrong.

Re: Wow?

there will always be bad cookies in the bunch - that's the nature of the beast. But to stop the advancement of science and technology on the fears that a few bad apples could ruin it (and potentially ruin it badly) for us, I personally feel, shouldn't be the determinant against invention.

Re: Wow?

[QUOTE=Garrick;863167]i can see your point guys and i think its great for kamal's point, biofuels... there's always the mad scientist, though. just like cloning built up to cloning humans... i think that's wrong.[/QUOTE]

Yep cloning people so we can live up till 300 years is just wrong

Re: Wow?

i, for one, welcome our bacteria-sized overlords.

Re: Wow?

pretty amazing the advances we are making!

the worrying thing is where they are leading.

Re: Wow?

[QUOTE=Haziel;863178]Yep cloning people so we can live up till 300 years is just wrong[/QUOTE]

Just curious, but why? (I probably fall into the mad scientist bracket btw;))

Re: Wow?

if people lived to be 300, can you imagine what the world population would eventually be?

Re: Wow?

A 300 year old would have to eat a lot of baby fetuses to stay alive, how else would it work? Population control is built into the problem

[QUOTE=Garrick;863206]if people lived to be 300, can you imagine what the world population would eventually be?[/QUOTE]

Re: Wow?

Lobsters are effectively immortal; do they have population problems :?:

Cloning also offers the opportunity to design offspring. Since we have effectively outgrown evolution, the species can take command of its own development. Combined with extended longevity, sexual reproduction becomes obsolete and the whole population can be sterilised. At which point the population starts to control itself when most of them die of STDs:?:

Re: Wow?

cloning humans to create a family isn't normal in this day and age. i wouldn't want my family being clones. that's all i'm trying to say.

this turned into a thread highjack... sorry. lol.