Yes, you read that right. Scientist finally managed the creation of artificial in laboratory conditions. My question now, is what will religious people say about this? Please do not tell me "God gave us this talent and now we are just merely implementing what God gave us". It will be a laughable line of defence to be honest.

The paraphrase of the whole process is as follows, a copy of a "bacteria" genome was replicated with synthetic materials, with the addition of DNA water marks - materials that prevent copy or identify a copied gene - so as to differentiate it from the real gene.

All of this was then taken and implanted into another "bacteria" cell. All the synthetic materials added into the "bacteria" cell then controls the cell-division of the host cell it was implanted into. This then lead to production of a new cell, but based on the synthetic materials. [This is my understanding]

Ladies and Gentlemen, the cell in question have divided a billion times since the experiment.

While there are obvious great application for this in health and what not, there may be potential for some dangers too. But as it stand, I am keen on hearing from people, especially, those who are fill this is wrong religiously, ethically etc.




Story from take from

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/biology_evolution/article7132299.ece

I read that story too and my first reaction was THIS IS THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT!

I bet they'll start replicating humans next.

Ability to replicate human exist already. This have been demonstrated via cloning. However, this is a new frontier. The making of life based party on sequence of known life form.

I am not sure how this signifies the end of the world, but I am glad this is happening in my time.

Err, they have not created any new life. Replacing the DNA in a fully formed and functioning cell is not creating life, it is genetic engineering - and it is not new. They have simply gone about it in a different way, by replacing an existing genome in cell with a synthetic version.
The scientists said " The man-made genome was then transplanted into a related bacterium, Mycoplasma capricolum"

Even the genome is not original. It is a synthetic copy of an already existing genome.

Maybe I used the term "replicate" too loosely, of course I know cloning exists.

The point is, what is the potential danger in the misuse of this scientific 'breakthrough in the hands of "BAD" people',
Think DNA re engineered diseases, customized biological warfare, Frankenstein soldiers etc
. . . these will make the worst sci-fi Apocalypse scenes a reality!