Scientists closer to creating new completely artifical life

[photon]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...8/nlife128.xml

Scientists could create the first new form of artificial life within months after a landmark breakthrough in which they turned one bacteria into another.

In a development that has triggered unease and excitement in equal measure, scientists took the whole genetic makeup - or genome - of a bacterial cell and transplanted it into a closely related species.

I think this is cool since I think that the biological engineering of this century will be like the mechanical engineering of the last.

[alltherage]

I find this scary. Mechanical engineering has been used solely for human convenience, and i think this draws a big fat grey line in that respect.

[photon]

Originally Posted by alltherage

I find this scary. Mechanical engineering has been used solely for human convenience, and i think this draws a big fat grey line in that respect.

What do you mean? Mechanical engineering hasn't just been used for human convenience, without the advances made in the past 100 years our societies would have long since collapsed due to famine and pestilence.

I think this kind of engineering is necessary to our continuing on this planet. If we continue to grow at the rate we are, we have to be able to grow our ability to use the resources available to us at the same rate. The alternative is mass culling of people, either by huge wars over dwindling resources or enforced breeding or something to stabalize the population.

[Nehkara]

Wow... that is amazing. Truly.

I agree with you photon, the only way to sustain ourselves and fix the problems we currently have is to continue to aggressively pursue scientific and technological advances.