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Originally posted by Alaskan Man
The implications are endless, living computers (since technically bacteria is alive) that are greatly superior to silicon based ones now.
[edit on 7/25/2009 by Alaskan Man]
. . .say nice things first. . .
Originally posted by aaa2500
Did anyone actually read the linked article...
The bacteria had modified DNA to flouress in different colours depending on certain characteristics in their own dna. Then the DNA was randomly shuffled and the bacteria was allowed to produce another generation which then contained an answer. This approach requires atleast as many bacteria as there are solutions(both correct and incorrect)
This is basically a massively parallel computer made from simple trinary adders... Effectively an evolved 'Connection Machine'. The difference is that the biological trinary adders run at less than .0001 Hz, whereas the Connection machine ran at 4MHz. This is before subtracting the time it takes to modify the DNA of the bacteria and test the results.
In short, this is neat, but nothing compared to a massively parallel silicon implementation. Why people are oooohing and aaahhhhhing over this has me surprised.
When they get the bacteria to do general computing and program them using their nutrients, light conditions or heat, then I'll be ooohhhing and aaahhhhing.
Originally posted by Solomons
reply to post by TruthxIsxInxThexMist
Alien tech? Do people these days have such low respect for scientists that it *has* to come from aliens? These people probably put hard work and sweat into this for years and still nobody can appreciate their work...Anyway i think its a 100% human creation and a damn good one at that! i always thought quantum computing would take over silicon but this could be a more viable option.
[edit on 26-7-2009 by Solomons]