DNA computer 'calculates square roots' (...make decisions, and take actions at the chemical level.)

BBC ^ | June 2, 2011 | Jason Palmer

[decimon]

Researchers have shown off a "DNA computer" of unprecedented complexity, which can calculate square roots.

>

For example, it was used to calculate the square root of a four-bit number, but the process took between six and 10 hours.

However, Professor Winfree said that contrary to conventional electronics, the goal is not just high speeds.

"We are no longer pursuing the goal targeted by Len Adleman's original DNA computing experiment: to compete with silicon by using the massive parallelism of chemistry to solve combinatorial problems in mathematics," he explained.

"Instead, our goal is now - and has been for many years - to enrich chemistry itself so that molecular behaviours can be programmed.

"We'd like to make chemical systems that can probe their molecular environments, process chemical signals, make decisions, and take actions at the chemical level."

>

[decimon]

Ping

[KoRn]

We’re screwed!!!

I hope ‘The Matrix’ is better than this place! Hopefully they will be merciful, and allow ‘us’ to be grandfathered in!

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

"We'd like to make chemical systems that can probe their molecular environments, process chemical signals, make decisions, and take actions at the chemical level."

Can you make me a flu virus that attacks only democrats?

Regards,
GtG

[occamrzr06]

which can calculate square roots

So can my cell phone....well, not out to 4 bit numbers.

[Jo Nuvark]

Does this help me find all the nerds in my family tree?

[decimon]

Can you make me a flu virus that attacks only democrats?

Program it to attack who tweets their jewels and let God sort them out. ;-)

[massgopguy]

Is this a Robert Ludlum novel?

[kingu]

How about liberals anywhere? RINO poaching on a molecular scale.

[decimon]

Does this help me find all the nerds in my family tree?

If the tree has square roots.

[DManA]

Well, it took Deep Thought 7 1/2 million years to come up with 42.

the process took between six and 10 hours.

[Jack Hydrazine]

It takes action on its own at the chemical level? DNA just into consensus, but is more of a cowboy doing thing its own way. Leftists don’t like individual initiative.

[frithguild]

it was used to calculate the square root of a four-bit number, but the process took between six and 10 hours

Obviously, they used female DNA

[The_Reader_David]

I suspect your cell phone can do numbers taking considerably more than four bits to represent: four bit numbers range from 0 to 15. The article also doesn’t tell us to what precision the square roots were calculated (seeing that 0, 1, 4 and 9 are the only perfect squares representable by four bits, that might have been interesting to tell us).

I’m underwhelmed. Just like I’m underwhelmed by the quantum computer that can use Shor’s algorithm to factor 15.

[brityank]

... four bit numbers range from 0 to 15.

Ah ha!   It really is magic!!
It plots by Hex !!!!!!!       ;^)

[BwanaNdege]

“We’d like to make chemical systems that can probe their molecular environments, process chemical signals, make decisions, and take actions at the chemical level.”

Already been done.

We ignorant yokels and bitter clingers usually call it “Living things”.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks decimon.

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[ShadowAce]

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.

[Still Thinking]

Two questions:

1) Why does Romney have a “play” button on his mouth?

2) Would any sane person ever press it?