http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/09/biologists-on-t.html?npu=1&mbid=yhp
QuoteA team of biologists and chemists is closing in on bringing non-living matter to life.
It's not as Frankensteinian as it sounds. Instead, a lab led by Jack Szostak, a molecular biologist at Harvard Medical School, is building simple cell models that can almost be called life.
Szostak's protocells are built from fatty molecules that can trap bits of nucleic acids that contain the source code for replication. Combined with a process that harnesses external energy from the sun or chemical reactions, they could form a self-replicating, evolving system that satisfies the conditions of life, but isn't anything like life on earth now, but might represent life as it began or could exist elsewhere in the universe.
While his latest work remains unpublished, Szostak described preliminary new success in getting protocells with genetic information inside them to replicate at the XV International Conference on the Origin of Life in Florence, Italy, last week. The replication isn't wholly autonomous, so it's not quite artificial life yet, but it is as close as anyone has ever come to turning chemicals into biological organisms.
"We've made more progress on how the membrane of a protocell could grow and divide," Szostak said in a phone interview. "What we can do now is copy a limited set of simple [genetic] sequences, but we need to be able to copy arbitrary sequences so that sequences could evolve that do something useful."
By doing "something useful" for the cell, these genes would launch the new form of life down the Darwinian evolutionary path similar to the one that our oldest living ancestors must have traveled. Though where selective pressure will lead the new form of life is impossible to know.
"Once we can get a replicating environment, we're hoping to experimentally determine what can evolve under those conditions," said Sheref Mansy, a former member of Szostak's lab and now a chemist at Denver University.
I've been reading about stuff like this. Its scary and exciting at the same time.
I wonder what the creationists reaction will be: positive, negative, neutral? Will they be upset that humans have gone against gods will, a blashphemous attack, or will they say, See, if humans can do it, god can definitely do it.
I'm just thinking about that guy with the peanut butter jar, "no new life". Wonder if he will have a heart attack.
Quote from: Kai on September 10, 2008, 05:07:01 PM
I've been reading about stuff like this. Its scary and exciting at the same time.
I wonder what the creationists reaction will be: positive, negative, neutral? Will they be upset that humans have gone against gods will, a blasphemous attack, or will they say, See, if humans can do it, god can definitely do it.
I'm just thinking about that guy with the peanut butter jar, "no new life". Wonder if he will have a heart attack.
You know damn well that they'll just move the goalposts. That's the only thing they're good at.
Quote from: Kai on September 10, 2008, 05:07:01 PM
I'm just thinking about that guy with the peanut butter jar, "no new life". Wonder if he will have a heart attack.
:lulz:
I think about him often. He makes me laugh like no other creationist ever has.
Quote from: Kai on September 10, 2008, 05:07:01 PM
I've been reading about stuff like this. Its scary and exciting at the same time.
I wonder what the creationists reaction will be: positive, negative, neutral? Will they be upset that humans have gone against gods will, a blashphemous attack, or will they say, See, if humans can do it, god can definitely do it.
I'm just thinking about that guy with the peanut butter jar, "no new life". Wonder if he will have a heart attack.
'It's proof of a designer!'
Quote from: Dr. Payne on September 10, 2008, 05:13:31 PM
Quote from: Kai on September 10, 2008, 05:07:01 PM
I'm just thinking about that guy with the peanut butter jar, "no new life". Wonder if he will have a heart attack.
How do you feel about bananas?
[urlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of90cKxSeuw[/url]
:lulz:
I think about him often. He makes me laugh like no other creationist ever has.
Quote from: Dr. Payne on September 10, 2008, 05:13:31 PM
Quote from: Kai on September 10, 2008, 05:07:01 PM
I'm just thinking about that guy with the peanut butter jar, "no new life". Wonder if he will have a heart attack.
:lulz:
I think about him often. He makes me laugh like no other creationist ever has.
The best part was how he had to lift the seal up slowly, just to make sure there wasn't actually anything in there.
Some faith he has! :lulz:
Quote from: Vene on September 10, 2008, 05:18:58 PM
Quote from: Kai on September 10, 2008, 05:07:01 PM
I've been reading about stuff like this. Its scary and exciting at the same time.
I wonder what the creationists reaction will be: positive, negative, neutral? Will they be upset that humans have gone against gods will, a blashphemous attack, or will they say, See, if humans can do it, god can definitely do it.
I'm just thinking about that guy with the peanut butter jar, "no new life". Wonder if he will have a heart attack.
'It's proof of a designer!'
Quote from: Dr. Payne on September 10, 2008, 05:13:31 PM
Quote from: Kai on September 10, 2008, 05:07:01 PM
I'm just thinking about that guy with the peanut butter jar, "no new life". Wonder if he will have a heart attack.
How do you feel about bananas?
[urlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of90cKxSeuw[/url]
:lulz:
I think about him often. He makes me laugh like no other creationist ever has.
Both the peanut butter vid and the banana one lead to a very classic thread. Roger wanted to give me a heart attack and we all ended up with some nicely stirred lulz from my colon voiding.
Quote from: Vene on September 10, 2008, 05:18:58 PM
Quote from: Kai on September 10, 2008, 05:07:01 PM
I've been reading about stuff like this. Its scary and exciting at the same time.
I wonder what the creationists reaction will be: positive, negative, neutral? Will they be upset that humans have gone against gods will, a blashphemous attack, or will they say, See, if humans can do it, god can definitely do it.
I'm just thinking about that guy with the peanut butter jar, "no new life". Wonder if he will have a heart attack.
'It's proof of a designer!'
Quote from: Dr. Payne on September 10, 2008, 05:13:31 PM
Quote from: Kai on September 10, 2008, 05:07:01 PM
I'm just thinking about that guy with the peanut butter jar, "no new life". Wonder if he will have a heart attack.
:lulz:
I think about him often. He makes me laugh like no other creationist ever has.
How do you feel about bananas?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of90cKxSeuw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of90cKxSeuw)
Dammit, I really fucked up the html, this post should correct it.
Quote from: Kai on September 10, 2008, 05:22:41 PM
Both the peanut butter vid and the banana one lead to a very classic thread. Roger wanted to give me a heart attack and we all ended up with some nicely stirred lulz from my colon voiding.
Creationists are a
near endless source of lulz. They just don't understand why.
Quote from: Vene on September 10, 2008, 05:38:15 PM
Quote from: Kai on September 10, 2008, 05:22:41 PM
Both the peanut butter vid and the banana one lead to a very classic thread. Roger wanted to give me a heart attack and we all ended up with some nicely stirred lulz from my colon voiding.
Creationists are a near endless source of lulz. They just don't understand why.
Thats why its so funny. :lulz: