Sci/Tech Artificial life 'could be created within five years'

[The Helper]

Laboratories across the world are closing in on a "second genesis" - an achievement that would be one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs of all time.

Prof David Deamer, from California University, said although building a new lifeform from scratch is a daunting task he is confident it can happen in five to 10 years.

He said: "The momentum is building - we're knocking at the door."

A synthetic, made-to-order living system could produce everything from new drugs to biofuels and greenhouse gas absorbers.

Artificial life could be created within FIVE years, experts claim

Laboratories across the world are closing in on a second genesis - an achievement that would be one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs of all time.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Hatebreeder]

Once again... Humans are not designed for playing god.
Moreover, this could be so abusive...

 

[sjakie]

Its very interesting to see how far technology has come and what we are capable of already, or will be capable of soon. No matter what great breakthroughs we come across however, mankind will take down itself sooner or later. Yeah, lets go build ourselves some "ultimate beings", lets go play god. Even if the experiment doesn't horribly fail and takes us all down, it will be nothing but a mere delay for doomsday.

 

[ZeroThirteen]

Once again... Humans are not designed for playing god.
Moreover, this could be so abusive...

I'm actually looking forward to the day when we create a species that exceeds our mental capacity and species-world connection consciousness and just eradicates us all. Finally, Earth will be in the hands of a species who cares!

 

[sjakie]

I'm actually looking forward to the day when we create a species that exceeds our mental capacity and species-world connection consciousness and just eradicates us all. Finally, Earth will be in the hands of a species who cares!

That would be the species I'm talking about: the one that takes us all down. A species of such an intelligence would probably be intelligent enough to figure humans are way to imperfect, and even inferiour to them....we're all goanna die!

 

[FireCat]

Its horrible! :thdown: building a new lifeform and what it could be? ... Oh and from scratch even

 

[DogOfHavoc]

What is wrong with creating new lifeforms? People arguing against scientist because of some convoluted concept of "god" need to step aside. This could be a great step in improving the lives of humans. Fear that some super-organism will exterminate us is the result of watching too much science fiction.

As a side note: isn't it wonderfully ironic that one of the scientists name is Professor "Church"?

 

[CaptDeath]

What is wrong with creating new lifeforms? People arguing against scientist because of some convoluted concept of "god" need to step aside. This could be a great step in improving the lives of humans. Fear that some super-organism will exterminate us is the result of watching too much science fiction.

As a side note: isn't it wonderfully ironic that one of the scientists name is Professor "Church"?

well the robot would being to think like the slaves did they killed there masters on occasion the difference is that robots are harder to kill than half naked heart broken under feed scared slaves

 

[Ninva]

I don't understand. People always talk about religion when anything relating to science comes up. I hope you guys know that religion and science are two very different things. Get that straight and you won't have some guy name Mark throwing shoes at you during a lecture or a speech.

I think this is a great advancement. But I won't allow anything with AI work for me. It's no good.

 

[DogOfHavoc]

Ninva, I realize that science and religion are separate matters.I just get irritated when someone says we shouldn't pursue scientific endeavors because we shouldn't "play god."

 

[Miz]

Though this seems cool, it has some major backfires. I believe the phrase, "Playing God" comes into affect here. We maybe able to do this, but we should be carefully in how we do it.

That's just my 2 Cents

(Funny part is I didn't read the comments here, so I didn't know someone already said that.)

 

[Dark_Phoenix]

 

[DogOfHavoc]

Well played sir.

 

[Knight7770]

But there would be no safety issues for a long time as any initial organisms would be very primitive and need large-scale life support in the lab, reports New Scientist.

Ahem. It's not like we're talking about creating independently thinking life forms here. They're just going to be synthetically made cells that make...stuff (basically whatever we want). You guys seem to be jumping to the conclusion that 'artificial life' means creating super-humans or bionic weapons. They're just tiny little cells that make things. It's not really playing God anyway; they would most likely evolve on their own; the most we would probably do is direct their evolutionary path when we feel the need to.
Obviously there will be other, more controversial, experiments that might try to create actual autonomously thinking life forms. That will be far in the future.

 

[darkRae]

I wonder if they can create the life similar to those that has been extinct.
Mini-Dinosaur Zoo yay.

 

[sjakie]

Ahem. It's not like we're talking about creating independently thinking life forms here. They're just going to be synthetically made cells that make...stuff (basically whatever we want). You guys seem to be jumping to the conclusion that 'artificial life' means creating super-humans or bionic weapons.

They may not be working on super-humans in this case, but this will definitely get something moving which is likely to end up in either humans creating advanced lifeforms or humans improving their own race.

 

[Jolly chap*]

They may not be working on super-humans in this case, but this will definitely get something moving which is likely to end up in either humans creating advanced lifeforms or humans improving their own race.

I sure hope it's the second option.

 

[sjakie]

I sure hope it's the second option.

Note that this "improvement" may not necessarily be a good thing though.

 

[FireCat]

What is wrong with creating new lifeforms?

Its nothing about god or any science fiction thing, its just wrong.

 

[DogOfHavoc]

Based on what? If it's not religious conviction and it's not fear then what reason is there for opposing progress?