By understanding the genome of a bacteria and mimicking that bacteria by reproducing that computer stored information in a living cell, he has just done what we do in the case of Bt Brinjal.
To claim that he has artificially created life one needs to create not only the bacteria but also all supporting proteins and other supporting structure that supports life.
Creating life is a different ball game altogether as then the very existence of faith, God etc gets questioned.
It is easy to create life in unicellular beings like bacteria, but for multicellular beings like humans, plants, animals etc.., it is still beyond human comprehension ..
-- ge..
-- ge..
It is just a matter of time, George.
ReplyDeleteAlso creating life in single cells is good enough. The whole idea of evolution is that the cell will evolve in response to stimulii from its environment. That is the whole premise behind evolution. Dr. Dawkins (yes the unapologetic atheist) has done a lot of work in that field. He has, in his scientific writings as an evolutionary microbiologist, explained how cells evolve in response to stimulii from its environment.
rajan
This Indian was one who made siginifciant initial contributions
ReplyDeletetowards a synthtic gene
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Har_Gobind_Khorana
Another news item of the recent "life" creation
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Artificial-life-or-plain-genetic-engineering/articleshow/5960142.cms
Regards
Subramonian
cells will evolve in response to stimuli from environment because of the intrensic, inherent, self energising, self motivating, self guiding, conciousness and awareness is present in it.
ReplyDeleteRavikumar S Nair
Mutations are typically random. But what mutations persist or survive is a function of its suitability to adjust to its environment. Nature naturally knocks off those that cannot adapt. So at the end of the day, it appears to be a very mathematical process. There is nothing godly about those things. Of course, you may choose to believe there is godliness behind it. That is your choice.
ReplyDeleteRajan
instead of thinking about creating life let us try to sustain life on the planet. if we go on living the way we do, atleast humans would be wiped off the planet. live close to nature.... play by nature's rules as far as possible.
ReplyDeleterajesh
Rajesh, you said it .. Live close to nature and play by nature's rule ..
ReplyDeleteWhen will our "smart" scientists understand this, lest we be wiped off this planet ..
The other argument would be why can't science investigate and replicate life ?? But the stake is too large, the whole humankind, to be in the hands of a few people, responsible or irresponsible ...
Nature's theories on evolution "Survival of the fittest" ( what we learn in Genetic algorithm..) has happened naturally, not with human intervention. Should humans interfere and topple the apple cart ?? Thinking loud..
Thanks subbu for the link from TOI .. It explains everything ..
ge..