Man-made microbe 'to create endless biofuel' ["God has competition."]

The Telegraph ^ | 6/8/2007 | Roger Highfield

[Eyes Unclouded]

grey goo?

[dr_lew]

This could be the real “Ice-9” of Vonnegut’s novel, Cat’s Cradle

[SteveMcKing]

"Craig Venter, an American who cracked the human genome in 2000,"

He was the president and founder of Celera Genomics, which was very successful. Let's not be so dramatic.

[Zeon Cowboy]

Sounds like a good novel.

[rbosque]

Now I;m no biologist but wouldn’t there be a risk in engineering a synthetic life form and introducing it to the environment? How can they control it? What if it mutates into something harmful?

[dr_lew]

What if it IS something harmful ?

[IslandJeff]

Yesterday, an ETC spokesman, Jim Thomas, called on the world's patent offices to reject the applications.

He said: "These monopoly claims signal the start of a high-stakes commercial race to synthesise and privatise synthetic life forms. Will Venter's company become the 'Microbesoft' of synthetic biology?" A colleague, Pat Mooney, said: "For the first time, God has competition. Venter and his colleagues have breached a societal boundary, and the public hasn't even had a chance to debate the far-reaching social, ethical and environmental implications of synthetic life."

So what if ETC had done it?

[HiTech RedNeck]

The concept of putting specialized DNA into bacteria or other cells (often, by means of viruses) in order to get certain properties or capabilities isn’t new. He could patent his method for getting his particular modified germ, and patent that germ much as a nursery patents its fruit or vegetable plants, but couldn’t prevent others from creating modified germs by other methods.

[mkjessup]

Two items:

a.) God has NO competition, but Pat Mooney has an overactive hyperbole gland.

b.) A custom-designed microbe that eats liberals while producing biofuel suitable for motor vehicles would be a true “win win” product.

[HiTech RedNeck]

ETC might want to share it royalty free with the world.

[IslandJeff]

Sarc tag?

Heck, why can’t we all file for DNA patents? It would deflate the market.

[ConsistentLibertarian]

I’m always in favor of competition. If God can’t compete, He’s got only Himself to blame.

[hotshu]

I was thinking more along the lines of Michael Chrichton’s “Andromeda Strain”.

[HiTech RedNeck]

God gives two options: (1) obey; or (2) make a monstrous mockery of yourself and whatever you touch.

[Brucifer]

“b.) A custom-designed microbe that eats liberals while producing biofuel suitable for motor vehicles would be a true “win win” product.”

LOL! From your lips to God’s ears.

[ConsistentLibertarian]

Funny. That’s the same two options Microsoft used to give in the second half of the 90’s.

[HiTech RedNeck]

God had the post of King of the Universe first.

[chuckles]

PLEASE, make sure you can kill it before you make it!

If the headline makes you hopeful, why am I so frightened? I've seen "mankind" in action before. How about that Kudzu? Wonderful, eh?

[ConsistentLibertarian]

He’s either got to deliver on the kinds of organisms we need or stand aside and let someone else do it.

There’s no reason to protect Him from market forces. If others can do it better and cheaper, He’s had his day, just like Henry Ford.