Pentagon Looks to Breed Immortal ‘Synthetic Organisms,’ Molecular Kill-Switch Included

The Pentagon’s mad science arm may have come up with its most radical project yet. Darpa is looking to re-write the laws of evolution to the military’s advantage, creating “synthetic organisms” that can live forever — or can be killed with the flick of a molecular switch.

As part of its budget for the next year, Darpa is investing $6 million into a project called BioDesign, with the goal of eliminating “the randomness of natural evolutionary advancement.” The plan would assemble the latest bio-tech knowledge to come up with living, breathing creatures that are genetically engineered to “produce the intended biological effect.” Darpa wants the organisms to be fortified with molecules that bolster cell resistance to death, so that the lab-monsters can “ultimately be programmed to live indefinitely.”

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I'm not even sure where to begin with this one, it's so far out. All I know is that is seems VERY dangerous to me. I'm going to do a bit more research on this "BioDesign" to see what I can come up with. Sounds like Darpa is up to no good.

-E-

[edit on 5-2-2010 by MysterE]

The major folly with such attempts is that we simply do not know very much about molecular physics.

Certainly not enough to make something like this work correctly. So this will take a long time to actually get working prototypes going.

Another point, is that if and when we actually do succeed in getting these synthetic organisms moving around, who or what will stop them from causing more problems then they are worth?

A "kill switch" is a good idea, but there will be problems with it. And there may be instances where the organisms could un-do the switch, or mitigate it's effects in some manner.

It just seems all too risky and expensive of an endevour, and for what benefit? To mine us our coal or other dangerous things? How about we just stop using so much coal in the first place?

Look maybe there is a good reason to have these things running around. But I am paranoid and these things freak me out. I would be liable to destroy them out of pure fright.

reply to post by muzzleflash


I agree, this sounds like the beginning of a bad science fiction movie

-E-

Originally posted by MysterE
reply to post by muzzleflash

 

I agree, this sounds like the beginning of a bad science fiction movie

-E-

No doubt! What if they developed this thing and it mutated so that the "kill switch" was no longer effective? Horrible, horrible idea. The money would be better spent using it to fire up a furnace than to "burn" it on this kind of R&D.

That's just crazy... that totally won't come back and bite us in the a**... totally not...

Darpa are nuts.

Can you imagine you mix that idea with the robot who could eat flesh for fuel? And then you put machine guns on it? Or a laser?

Then you give it an AI?

[edit on 5-2-2010 by Vitchilo]

Ever seen the movie Farcry?

Looks like that's where this is headed.

LoL let it happen!

I will be their king.

H1N1 mutated on them and became a less deadly agent. Back to the drawing board I guess. They will eventually kill us all.

DARPA always has the craziest mission statements in all of their projects.

i.e.
Blood Pharming

Program Manager: Dr. Jon Mogford

The Blood Pharming Program is developing novel technologies to enable in vitro production of red blood cells (RBCs) that are untainted, readily available, and free of storage lesions

Fracture Putty

Program Manager: COL Geoffrey Ling, M.D., Ph.D.

DARPA seeks to create a dynamic putty-like material which, when packed in/around a compound bone fracture, provides full load-bearing capabilities within days, creates an osteoconductive bone-like internal structure, and degrades over time to harmless resorbable by-products as normal bone regenerates.

Programmable Matter

Program Manager: Dr. Leo Christodoulou

he goal of Programmable Matter Program is to demonstrate a new functional form of matter, based on mesoscale particles, which can reversibly assemble into complex 3D objects upon external command.

These are just wish list for big kid generals with blank checks. Some of them may come to pass but many won't.

But my favorite is this one.

Z-Man

Program Manager: Dr. Matthew Goodman

The Z-Man Program will develop climbing aids that will enable an individual soldier to scale vertical walls constructed of typical building materials without the need for ropes or ladders

Real life Spiderman!

reply to post by badmoviefan


I think I would like to work for Darpa, I could come up with some crazy crap to research!

-E-

It reminds me of the IOA in Stargate SG-1 copying the design of replicators but programming in a kill switch which they can activate.

The plot device was only used once and was successful but if the replicators showed one thing in that show, it was an ability to modify and exceed their programming.

This seems like a very dangerous idea to me.

reply to post by MysterE


Molecular kill switch is a very novel idea. In Michael Crichton's novel, Jurassic Park, they used an essential amino acid deficiency, lysine i think, but then the dinosaurs just started eating fields of corn or something to that effect.