“It’s Alive! It’s Alive”
Scientists announce artificial life on the horizon.
by Ian Mosley
According to the Guardian newspaper in Great Britain: “Craig Venter, the controversial DNA researcher involved in the race to decipher the human genetic code, has built a synthetic chromosome out of laboratory chemicals and is poised to announce the creation of the first new artificial life form on Earth. The announcement, which is expected within weeks and could come as early as Monday at the annual meeting of his scientific institute in San Diego, California, will herald a giant leap forward in the development of designer genomes. It is certain to provoke heated debate about the ethics of creating new species and could unlock the door to new energy sources and techniques to combat global warming.”
Global warming? I’m sorry, I don’t get that. Are we going to create a race of human beings who can live and work and play in 130-degree heat without sweating, something like that? Are we to be given gills so we can live in the ocean where it’s nice and cool? Or does everything have to be tied to the cult of Global Warming to get funding these days? (more…)