From yesterday’s Guardian, a momentary scare as I first read this headline: I am creating life, declares U.S. gene pioneer. Deep in my own muddle of wondering and wandering this struck me that it answered some of the questions, some of the biggies, and that didn’t make me feel good. The headline, to me, is a gross overstatement. It is not life, but an altered life form; big difference:
The DNA sequence is based on the bacterium Mycoplasma genitalium which the team pared down to the bare essentials needed to support life, removing a fifth of its genetic make-up. The wholly synthetically reconstructed chromosome, which the team have christened Mycoplasma laboratorium, has been watermarked with inks for easy recognition.
It is then transplanted into a living bacterial cell and in the final stage of the process it is expected to take control of the cell and in effect become a new life form. The team of scientists has already successfully transplanted the genome of one type of bacterium into the cell of another, effectively changing the cell’s species. Mr Venter said he was "100% confident" the same technique would work for the artificially created chromosome.
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This has nothing to do with anything, really. But i remember reading about how some genetic engineers in lab somewhere or other had created a human pen-is. When you consider the strides in genetics coupled with the proliferation of batteries, gadgets and sperm banks — well, you’d think men would want to try a bit more earnestly to not be such insufferable jerks sometimes.
Sorry. Had to get the p-word past the spam gods.
So you’re saying the creation of a new improved species might not be such a bad idea. You may be right…a snip of gene out here, a replacement there, and we might get some niceness back in the human race.