Scientists Create Chimera

[Brim]

Science is a scary thing...the question is, where WILL we stop, if we do.

J-Dude was right for one thing, just because we can do something doesn't mean it's a good idea. Nothing wrong with this in my opinion, but it is this general area of science that worries me. So many opportunities and possibilities and every scientist wants to be the first to make them all happen. Too often that leads to a lack of caring in consequences. Someone's going to do something dumb, just wait.

 

[Barney]

Yea and then hell is going to break loose on mars and the rock is gonna have to go there and give some demons the people's elbow!

 

[Zeonix]

If people weren't so damn afraid of science, we wouldn't have to worry about some crazy scientist trying to make half-human, half-lion hybrids in his basement to prove that science isn't evil. Everything would be out in the open, and we'd all know what they were up to (Unless they're creating diseases. That kinda has to be kept a secret). Comments like "OMFG GOD IS ANGRY!" only serve to prove how backwards some people are when it comes to progress. Oh no. We now have the ability to save thousands of human lives because they no longer have to wait on line for organ donors. Doom!

It just doesn't make sense to get all riled up over something that can potentially save the very lives some of you claim to hold in such high regard. WWJD? I'm thinking he'd try to save as many people as possible. We don't have super healing powers, so this is the next best thing.

If scientists ever did find a way to allow us to breathe underwater, or generate gravitons, or generate enough energy to blow up a building, I'd be the first in line for such augmentations. Evolution, my friend. Survival of the fittest. You can choose not to take advantage of such benefits because you think some 12 foot tall guy who shoots lightning bolts would get angry, but I'm going to make sure my line continues long after I'm dead.

 

[J-Dude]

@Agamemnon: I said I'm fine with medical fixes. I'd be a little undecided on things like changing a fetus' genetic code to immunize it from cancer. I don't like the idea of "changing" the human genetic code, whatever it does. I, and many if not most, find it perverse. I don't believe in evolution in the large scale. Natural selection? Sure, the least-adapted creature dies. That makes sense in the short term.

Me, I just don't think we should be trying to "improve" people. To me, God provided us with his design. That design, to me, is not something to be toyed with or altered. Genes are like the binary (or quadrinary, if you look at how DNA is constructed) programming for living things. I don't think it was ever our place to alter that. It's quite literally "playing God", and to me, that's blasphemy on a level that I don't think the 12 Disciples could have ever imagined.

Hmm...I wonder if the first scientist to artificially increase human lifespans will be named "Judas".

 

[frsrblch]

I don't think it was ever our place to alter that. It's quite literally "playing God", and to me, that's blasphemy on a level that I don't think the 12 Disciples could have ever imagined.

We've been playing with genes for some time now, it's nothing new. The only thing that's changed is that we're doing it on mammals now, and the benefits could be much wider reaching. Ever wonder where insulin comes from? I'll give you a hint; it doesn't come from pigs. I guess all those diabetics are going straight to hell, do not pass purgatory, do not collect $200.

Thankfully blasphemy is one of those things that the science community doesn't care about or much of what we have today may never have been allowed to be developed (Galileo, anyone?).

 

[J-Dude]

We've been playing with genes for some time now, it's nothing new. The only thing that's changed is that we're doing it on mammals now, and the benefits could be much wider reaching. Ever wonder where insulin comes from? I'll give you a hint; it doesn't come from pigs. I guess all those diabetics are going straight to hell, do not pass purgatory, do not collect $200.

Thankfully blasphemy is one of those things that the science community doesn't care about or much of what we have today may never have been allowed to be developed (Galileo, anyone?).

Well, I don't even know what insulin is or does, so...

I'm fully aware of how long genetic experiments have taken place. I've heard of such things as being able to "choose" an unborn child's gender. It's always scared the Hell out of me.

But anyway, Galileo was the man who tried to promote the "heliocentric" solar system, correct? That's plenty different. People just didn't want to hear that their world WASN'T the center of the whole Universe. That was simple arrogance. The Church was corrupt back then as well. Toying with the basic workings of a living being is another thing though. It's not igorance or pride that promotes genetic naysayers like myself, it's the willingness to submit thyself to God's superior designs in humility, and not try and challenge his creation by trying to "improve" upon it.

 

[kam!]

I'm for genetic engineering. It's the key to cure most diseases, like aids and cancer. Most people fear genetic engineering because they don't know exactely what's done there. I can imagine that in some years every human can have his own "reservoir" of organs that fits exactely to their body.

And regarding tinkering with human genes:
If I knew that my child would have some kind of uncurable disese when it's born, I'd rather have some scientist change it's genome than to see it die.

That's just my opinion. You can call the exorcist if you want

 

[shadow_wolf]

IMO i find this a great discovery to be possible to be done in a scientific point of view, Also i thought "GOD" gave us free will?

 

[Barney]

Yes, God did, but he also gave us rules to follow...certain people have their own rules though which renders zombies and killer were-sheep.

 

[Optimus Prime]

I'm serious guys, cut the religious chit-chat, or I'm snubbing this thread, final warning.

 

[Garm]

I just don't see the merit in cloning goats or physically wronging and mutating animals on the way. I say it should go as far as medical research and that's that.

Experiments such as this one are carried out so that in the future organs can be more easily provided to those who need them. That's the merit.

I don't believe in evolution in the large scale. Natural selection? Sure, the least-adapted creature dies. That makes sense in the short term.

Speciation is the result of many smaller changes within a species occurring over a long period of time. "Macro-evolution" is "micro-evolution" compounded. To accept the latter whilst rejecting the former is irrational.

 

[NeLo9]

ok as far as the religious thing real quick then i'll let Opti snub it. Im religious too but i dont think anyone is going to hell over this. This for me is a very grey area. My only problem with this whole chimera business is that we're doing it at what cost? Like i said about the island thing. When did killing life become a business because lets be honest here someone HAS to get paid. Dont give me that its for the public therefore its priceless...I think it should if you're to legalize it but hey at this point that's not possible.

So that's my question to you guys and dont flip out on me for it, it's a logical question on what you think the price is worth. Keep in mind that not all the organs that get donated will be accepted by the body. How many animals are you willing to sacrifice before it gets out of hand? What's next after the sheep??

(and no im not an animal rights activist)

 

[frsrblch]

When did killing life become a business because lets be honest here someone HAS to get paid.

Probably some time after we developed agriculture, but before we created writing. It's nothing new.

And of course someone has to get paid. Things don't happen when nobody is getting some form of renumeration. That's like saying the sun has to come up before it can get light out. It just goes without saying. You can't run a lab that grows animals for organ harvest without it being for profit, or run by the government.

As for killing animals, well, I have no doubt that 95% of the population would have no problem killing sheep for their organs. We kill them for food already, and this would no doubt be a lot more "humane" than being slaughtered. Any of the moral implications of this can be fixed by reminding people that it's a ****ing sheep.

 

[Sicron]

If people weren't so damn afraid of science, we wouldn't have to worry about some crazy scientist trying to make half-human, half-lion hybrids in his basement to prove that science isn't evil. Everything would be out in the open, and we'd all know what they were up to (Unless they're creating diseases. That kinda has to be kept a secret). Comments like "OMFG GOD IS ANGRY!" only serve to prove how backwards some people are when it comes to progress. Oh no. We now have the ability to save thousands of human lives because they no longer have to wait on line for organ donors. Doom!

It just doesn't make sense to get all riled up over something that can potentially save the very lives some of you claim to hold in such high regard. WWJD? I'm thinking he'd try to save as many people as possible. We don't have super healing powers, so this is the next best thing.

If scientists ever did find a way to allow us to breathe underwater, or generate gravitons, or generate enough energy to blow up a building, I'd be the first in line for such augmentations. Evolution, my friend. Survival of the fittest. You can choose not to take advantage of such benefits because you think some 12 foot tall guy who shoots lightning bolts would get angry, but I'm going to make sure my line continues long after I'm dead.

Since when is genetic engineering evolution? Genetic engineering is messing with cells, evolution is slowly(read: thousands of years) adapting to a situation. Believe me, I'm not afraid of science, heck I support a lot of it. But I'm not too fond of genetic engineering, it will backfire. Either because after genetically engineering humans and they will die young, or new diseases will spread because of genetically engineered cells. Or because people think they can use this to create weapons. Humans who have been genetically engineered to carry organic bombs anyone?

You will probably say now: "LOLZ, ORGANICZ BOMBZ?!111!!one!!1" But a 100 years ago, we thought we would not be able to fly, now we have airplanes. We thought the earth was flat, it's round. We thought the sun was orbiting around the earth, it's not. Eventually, some 'mad' scientist will engineer something bad, and by then...we will have just another mass destruction weapon to cope with.

 

[Zeonix]

C'mon guys. Look at the bright side of things! Now we're using every part of the sheep. We use their wool, then eat their...chops, and now we're going to harvest their organs to save human lives. At least we're not being wasteful.

I can't wait until they make half-human, half-whale hybrids who serve absolutely no purpose, and exist only to suffer. That's every scientist's ultimate goal. Endless suffering for no other reason than "Just because."

@ Sicron: Forced evolution is still evolution.

We don't need organic bombs when we can create a trillion man clone army.

 

[J-Dude]

Jesus, this is the kind of talk which scares me ****less. And indeed, it doesn't take too much imagination to think that someone could engineer some sort of organ which organically generates nitroglycerin the way a snake generates venom. Really, the way things stand now it doesn't keep me awake at night, but since scientists just solved a famous equation from the 1800s' which nobody thought was possible to solve (the equation's answer was supposedly a mathematical phenomenon which would vastly improve our understanding of the human genome, computer programming, real world physics calculations, weather predictions, etc) I'm wondering how long it is before some wise guy in a think tank somewhere creates a Leopard with an "HP" logo formed out of it's spots, or creates the first animal which sustains itself through photosynthesis. Once they start figuring out the code they'll start throwing caution to the wind. If they CAN, they WILL. Morons decide to create radical new viruses and unleash them on an opposing country, some guy artificially creates a new species that acts like a killing machine...To be honest, I don't think that time is as far away as we think. Eventually, we'll realized once we've gone too far that this whole business was a catastrophuck and realize exactly WHY we shouldn't play God.

 

[john_volkov]

I realy wanted teleportetion or light speed then this

 

[Zeonix]

Fear is the mind-killer, J-Dude. Combine fear, one's imagination and ignorance, and you're more dangerous than any scientist to have ever walked the face of the Earth. It is fear of a higher being, fear of change/progress, and fear of the unknown that has done the most damage to to humanity; not some dude in a lab trying to find a way to make animals organ donors.

Stop being afraid. Take my hand. I'm here for you.

 

[Chakra-X]

Yall also sound a bit pessimistic. Yeah it has the power to be exploited, a lot of things do. Nuclear power for instance. Could be used as an energy source, or a weapon.

But if mental retardation dramatically decreases, somone's mom survives a car accident by inserting new human cells, AIDs becomes a thing of the past, and nobody has to worry about their parents forgeting that they are their child, then I say it's worth it.

And if worst man-made viruses are made from this (which is definately possible), wouldn't it be safe to say the ability to find a cure would be just as plausible? Especially since it's man-made, because nothing we make is perfect.

I really do not see genetic engineering giving humans anything naturally abnormal...I mean some of these ideas seem far to bazaare. Like out of some movie. Genetic engineering is not as simple as cracking a code to a computer system.

 

[Sicron]

It's desperation and curiosity that made the A-bomb. And this just started by experimenting with splitting atoms. If experimenting with splitting atoms to harness it's power for good use (Nuclear Reactors for power) can be made to explode with such devastating power. What stops mankind from genetically engineering organic bombs that can not be detected by metal scanners, people could just walk into a new WTC, explode themselves and boom, we have another 9/11. Agamemnon, although this is not likely to happen soon, there is a possibility that some terrorist scientist may actually invent this in the future...Don't be afraid, but be cautious.

@Chakra: Mental retardation has to do with the brain, this cannot easily be changed with organ donors. Unless you are seriously suggesting to genetically engineer a human baby. You can't insert a couple of human cells into someone hoping that they will regenerate and live again, organ failure is much more than just a couple of cells that stop working.
AIDS won't become something of the past, it's a disease that destroys the immune system, once it's destroyed, it won't come back (as far as I know), you can only use extra medication to fortify whatever is left of your immune system.

If finding a cure for a man made virus is so easy, we would have cures for nearly every disease that is known so far. Just because some human made something, doesn't mean you can easily cure it. Definitely if the virus can mutate (which most can, take the flue for example)

Last but not least, we never said that it was simple to genetically engineer. We say that it is possible, as said before, we never thought we would make such a devastating weapon such as the A-bomb.