Rat muscle + rubbery film = world's first artificial jellyfish

Scientists have CREATED the first artificial jellyfish -- a tiny blend of muscle tissue from a rat and thin, rubbery material from Dow Chemical Corporation -- but with nary a jellyfish gene to its name.

i know the obvios answer is, because we can.

but really, why?

what can this help us do, how does this help humanity?

"Everyone would agree that this is not an organism, although it's alive," he says. In effect, it's a tiny robot whose movements are controlled by living cells.

The same could be said for us hairless monkeys.

OP in regard to your question of why... I think that the more research done in manipulating genes etc. gives more understanding in turn giving scientists a better chance to combat illness. That and because rat fish.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Unfortunately I don't think we'll fare well if we start this journey. It's a journey nature didn't intend for us.

reply to post by Dizrael


Well if you would actually read the article or watch the video you would know that this research is being done for a future in artificial organs.

Originally posted by PhantomLimb
reply to post by Dizrael

 

Well if you would actually read the article or watch the video you would know that this research is being done for a future in artificial organs.

That's always how it starts, PhantomLimb....with a spectacular promise for the common good of man.

Next thing you know it's armed and making the military industrial complex a buttload of money.

Originally posted by PhantomLimb
reply to post by Dizrael

 

Well if you would actually read the article or watch the video you would know that this research is being done for a future in artificial organs.

no i know what they are SAYING.

but im missing the how. ok, so they made a jelly fish that moves with the pulsation of the rat heart, how does that translate to human organs?

i think thats their excuse for doing it. but i dont see the connection. thats all.

reply to post by XxRagingxPandaxX


You could say the same about many things in our past that we, today, take for granted.

A living machine, more or less, this is. Artificial parts controlled by living tissue. Not conscious tissue.. Not cultivated from a being killed to produce it. But symbiotic.

There can be a million uses in decades to come that can benefit from this. Or there can be one. We don't know.

I'd hate to see robotic military with the agility of the human component. But then, I hate seeing sons and daughters killed in the line of duty.

Ironically, I saw the movie "Stealth" last night... where the jet AI becomes almost aware. And then kills itself to save humans.

We're on the cusp.. It's to be expected we'll have detractors. But I look forward to the future. Whatever it brings, we are only now seeing it.

And this thrills me, more than it scares me.

Originally posted by Dizrael

Scientists have CREATED the first artificial jellyfish -- a tiny blend of muscle tissue from a rat and thin, rubbery material from Dow Chemical Corporation -- but with nary a jellyfish gene to its name.

i know the obvios answer is, because we can.

but really, why?

what can this help us do, how does this help humanity?

Heart valves and sphincters come to mind. Low power water exploration crafts.