Scientists Successfully Embed Silicon Chips Inside Human Cells

Gizmodo ^ | 17 March, 2010 | Gizmodo

[James C. Bennett]

Scientists have already created mini-cyborgs out of living cells and semiconductor materials, but now biological cells can also contain tiny silicon chips, which could become sensors that monitor microscopic activities, deliver drugs to target cells or even repair cell structures.

According to Nanowerk, experiments found that living human cells can ingest or receive injections of silicon chips and continue functioning as usual for the most part. More than 90 percent of chip-containing HeLa cells — the first immortal human cell line derived from a poor, cancer-stricken woman – still survived a week after receiving their silicon loads.

Other studies have tested nanoparticles

inside living cells. But silicon chips allow for much easier integration of electronics and mechanical parts, say scientists at the Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona in Spain.

The study published in the aptly-named journal Small opens the doors for possibly putting microprocessors and other silicon-based devices inside cells. That could lead to promising developments for both micro-computing and medicine.

It may also represent a small step toward fulfilling several of the Pentagon's wishes set forth by DARPA, including engineering immortal controllable synthetic beings with genetic kill-switches. Maybe those mad science dreamers need to think smaller than cyborg beetles.

[via Nanowerk]

[James C. Bennett]

[Ted Grant]

It’s a bionic future.

[GeronL]

Skynet is coming. lol.

[Oceander]

Or, just to cross-fertilize from the pessimistic political perspective, these new chips could be used to spy on individuals without them knowing anything, including eavesdropping on all conversations. Call me paranoid (or late for dinner, whichever works), but I would not put it past the likes of Obastard, Pelosi, or Holder to use something like this for precisely that sort of skullduggery.

[PIF]

Coming mandate under Hussein Care...

[Vaquero]

The silicon chip inside her head
Gets switched to overload
And nobody’s gonna go to school today
She’s gonna make them stay at home
And daddy doesn’t understand it
He always said she was good as gold
And he can see no reasons
‘Cos there are no reasons
What reason do you need to be show-ow-ow-ow-own?

Tell me why
I don’t like Mondays
Tell me why
I don’t like Mondays
Tell me why
I don’t like Mondays
I wanna shoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oot the whole day down

[mountn man]

end times pingage

[Star Traveler]

We heard there are aliens here ... :-)

[Star Traveler]

The team is on their way, as we speak, to check it out.

[Free Vulcan]

Resistance is futile.

[Star Traveler]

[Star Traveler]

Everyone is implanted, in the future!

[Star Traveler]

Resistance is futile! You will be assimilated!

[Clintonfatigued]

This has the potential for great mischief, perhaps even abuse.

[Star Traveler]

[little jeremiah]

The idea that just because science CAN do something, it MUST or SHOULD do it, is worship of science. Which means worship of the creation, or matter, instead of the Creator.

It will lead inevitable to Very Bad Things. Unless it’s stopped.

[Outlaw Woman]

Thanks for the ping MM. Hope all is well with you!

[The Comedian]

Fall of the Machines...

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!