Sythetic Biology Yields New Bacteria

Sythetic Biology Yields New Bacteria

www.voanews.com

Researchers say they have transferred the entire genetic material of one microbe into another one, producing a genetic carbon copy. VOA's Jessica Berman reports from Washington that researchers hope the work might eventually lead to the development of synthetic fuels.

Since the 1970's, molecular biologists have modified cells by inserting bits and pieces of DNA or entire genes.

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If your an American citizen you need to read this!!!

The news relice says they are hoping this will be used to find a way to create synthetic fuels, ok that's all well and good. I just can't help but wonder what else could this be used for? The creation of a new bacteria would mean the immune system would be unable to fight it off should it find its way inside a body. Or worse yet, what if this technology is used for the purpose of biological war fare?

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Originally posted by RedGolem


The news relice says they are hoping this will be used to find a way to create synthetic fuels, ok that's all well and good. I just can't help but wonder what else could this be used for? The creation of a new bacteria would mean the immune system would be unable to fight it off should it find its way inside a body. Or worse yet, what if this technology is used for the purpose of biological war fare?

www.voanews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I've always believed that a majority of the new tech breakthroughs are the result of the government researching ways to kill people more efficiently. You can bet that if this is coming to the public sector the government has already perfected it and figured out how to use it to kill people.

Blue,
hmm well it's not like I can disagree with your hypothesis that the government has already used the technology to create new means of mass destruction. I really have no way of knowing. I can say that if the U.S. government has things like that in a high tech vault some where that I can at least say that W.M.D. has not been used by the U.S. on the large scale since WW2. What I fear more is some one getting ah-old of the technology that will it for mass destruction.

Since both microbes were "real" and the DNA material was "real", the word synthetic is The title of this thread is somewhat misleading. Still it is quite interesting.

Anytime scientists and especially government scientists start mucking around with things like this, it gives me the heeby geebies. I don't trust em; not one bit, either to understand what they are doing or to be responsible with it.