Craig Venter unveils "synthetic life"

http://www.ted.com Craig Venter and team make a historic announcement: they've created the first fully functioning, reproducing cell controlled by synthetic DNA. He explains how they did it and why the achievement marks the beginning of a new era for science.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate. Watch a highlight reel of the Top 10 TEDTalks at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10

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[dagreatthinker]

I find it frustrating when religious people deny and even demonize science. It is because of innovations in science that our society gets better. These are the same people who would have participated in a stoning over one making the claim that the Earth isn't flat.

[5teampunker]

Amazing

[crudhousefull]

If there was a global poll taken on this we'd see that over 90% of people would be against this.

[crudhousefull]

Basically the beginning of 3D programming...what was previously only done in computers, in virtual worlds. I HATE this idea. It is so easy to convert this into something that is diabolical since there are already so many models that can be corrupted to the detriment of humans. We can't afford to have one city go down temporarily (like we've seen with computer networks) because some nut acted without conscience

[SomeUser9753]

Anyway God will destroy America and the communists for rebelliosn against Him.

[DonMega187]

@DonMega187 still the study for how life* originally came to be is in progress, but these scientists found probably more sure method. they explain bit more in "the cell" bbc documentary series, especially in the last part about possible theories split apart, but in nature the process may have taken thousands of years for all the possible aminoacids to develop it may not be possible to ever conclusively show it anywhere else except simulating the conditions for prooving the concepts itself

[DonMega187]

@5tonyvvvv what are u talking about? they self-assemble all the time. they may copy original designs but they still create them out of thin air, where there is no life they create life, although quite primitive at the moment still in a form that is not known to exist anywhere except on earth. one lifeform leads to more complex lifeforms, it's all just a chain reaction of developing the techniques and this much progress in such a short time is simply breathtaking. do not underestimate it

[HeywoodJablowem]

@5tonyvvvv "Important examples of SA in materials science include the formation of molecular crystals, colloids, lipid bilayers, phase-separated polymers, and self-assembled monolayers.[1][2] The folding of polypeptide chains into proteins and the folding of nucleic acids into their functional forms are examples of self-assembled biological structures."

[HeywoodJablowem]

@5tonyvvvv how about wikipedia for "self-assembly"

"Self-assembly is a term used to describe processes in which a disordered system of pre-existing components forms an organized structure or pattern as a consequence of specific, local interactions among the components themselves, without external direction. When the constitutive components are molecules, the process is termed molecular self-assembly."

[5tonyvvvv]

@HeywoodJablowem Yes I did, Like I said man can manipulate conditions in a controlled laboratory atmosphere!! Molecules cant self assemble..LOL gullible atheist! These experiments are not geochemical relevant reactions!! Meaning They would never occur on a primordial earth!!