Florida Lab Gets Pregnant 149
Synthetic Biology, a relatively new field, is seeking to find out what happened to a bunch of chemicals to make them capable of supporting a metabolism, replicating, and evolution. A Florida lab is showing some of the most promising advancements in this direction with their AEGIS (Artificially Expanded Genetic Information System) experiment. "AEGIS is not self-sustaining, at least not yet, and with 12 DNA building blocks -- as opposed to the usual four -- there's little chance it will be confused with natural life. Still, Benner is encouraged by the results. 'It's evolving. It's doing what we designed it to do,' said Benner, a biochemist with the Gainesville, Fla.-based Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution. In addition to providing an example of how alien life might be cobbled together, synthetic biology has a broad array of uses on the home front."
eh (Score:1, Funny)
Honey, we're pregnant.
AEGIS has been in commercial use for years (Score:5, Funny)
KFC rolled theirs out years ago.
many uses (Score:3, Funny)
In addition to providing an example of how alien life might be cobbled together, synthetic biology has a broad array of uses on the home front
Oh yes! Like holding the world hostage!! Now where can I get some mind-controlling synthetic life forms? (don't forget the insulin dependence [xkcd.org]).
I won't believe its alive until ... (Score:5, Funny)
Nerds + genetic-engineering = ...boobs (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Um, guys.... (Score:5, Funny)
That's (Score:2, Funny)
Re:OT: online news (Score:5, Funny)
Clearly if I made artificial life, I'd put it on an ASIC. Otherwise you'd just have too many discrete components and general purpose things to get it in a tiny package.
Then again I'm an EE, and I equate everything biological to the word "slimy" in my mind. Mechanical life for the win...
Re:Nerds + genetic-engineering = ...boobs (Score:2, Funny)
Pffft. There are already synthetic boobies.
Aim lower.
Re:A first (Score:4, Funny)
Re:I won't believe its alive until ... (Score:5, Funny)
Do you mean a white scientist with a lab coat, a scientist in a white lab coat, or a white scientist coated in a lab?
Re:Nerds + genetic-engineering = ...boobs (Score:5, Funny)
Pffft. There are already synthetic boobies.
Aim lower.
Synthetic boobies for really old ladies?
Re:World domination (Score:4, Funny)
Particularly in the Deep South, where barbeque is almost a religion on its own.
People for Eating Tasty Animals, anyone?
Re:Not my fault (Score:2, Funny)
Mod parent up, and enjoy this best of craigslist post about paternity -- "Vasectomy: $400. Speechless look on her face: priceless." [craigslist.org]
Re:A first (Score:4, Funny)
Diary of creating new life