1. Not a functioning organism as of yet.
Cronin's team has also created bubbles inside of bubbles, which opens the door to the possibility of developing specialized "organelles."
Even more compelling, some of the iCHELLs are being equipped with the ability to photosynthesize.
[...]
Although they aren't equipped with anything remotely resembling DNA, and therefore can't replicate themselves in the same way that real cells do,
Cronin has nevertheless managed to create some polyoxometalates that can use each other as templates to self-replicate.
This is all he's
done, the rest is speculation. What is funny is that a lot of enzymes and proteins self-replicated in pretty much this same manner, and no scientist
out there calls them alive.
2. Serves no purpose as of yet. And I'm not talking about serving a purpose for us. Photosynthesis is an awesome way to store energy....may be able
to harness this for better solar panels, one day.I mean that it serves no purpose for itself yet. It's not to that point. It's at a "make a
bubble, copy a bubble" stage, so it can't be artificial life--yet.
3. Evolving into what? This is worded in an over-inflationary way, so as to make this thing look further along than it is. This is going to require
more than hints before one should jump on this bandwagon.
4. This is creation. Not necessarily a "creationist view", but creation nonetheless:
some of the iCHELLs are being equipped
When
you equip a bubble you make by forcing metals through some solution, you are creating. If and when you let them self-procreate, you still haven't
changed a thing about these things being mere creations.
But overall? Awesome. I can see some applications that this would be useful for, in the future....as long as it doesn't have to stay immersed in
it's solution to function.
on the hyped up article.
