Engineered cell engine is step to artificial life

Engineered cell engine is step to artificial life

www.reuters.com

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. scientists said they have taken an important step toward making an artificial life form by making a ribosome -- the cell's factory.

The ribosome makes the proteins that carry out key business for all forms of life. Messenger RNA carries DNA's genetic instructions to a cell's ribosome, which then cooks up the desired protein. Every living organism from bacteria to humans uses a ribosome, and they are all strikingly similar.

It is not quite artificial life, ...

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[edit: clipped quoted content to 500 char. limit]

[edit on 9-3-2009 by 12m8keall2c]

Is it just me or will artificial life pose us a direct danger much further down the road.

should we even be going down this path?

Are we trying to play God here by creating a living thing?

just think we would be better off trying to find ways to get the other 90% of our brains working first.

your thoughts here please.

peace& hope
SM

www.reuters.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Wow, they're finally making real organelles. It's scary, but there's no real way to call it. Could be good or bad at this point.