maynardo

So, the new announcement of the GFAJ-1 being able to build its DNA off of arsenic is exciting. ( i would go on but i believe that BOB's blog and responces covered it well.

i post on this The newly discovered microbe, strain GFAJ-1, is a member of a common group of bacteria, the Gammaproteobacteria. In the laboratory, the researchers successfully grew microbes from the lake on a diet that was very lean on phosphorus, but included generous helpings of arsenic. When researchers removed the phosphorus and replaced it with arsenic the microbes continued to grow. Subsequent analyses indicated that the arsenic was being used to produce the building blocks of new GFAJ-1 cells. (from nasa.gov in the 'news and features' articles)

Shouldnt you get to know the forms of life long enough so that you no longer call them new before you try to change them. What if these bacteria that they raised on a steady diet of arsenic become the greatest killer in the universe? How can you play around with the structure of life and think that you are in control of it? Just because you are smart doesnt meant that you should be able to do things without thinking. fucking damn.

makes me wonder what else they are playing with out there.