genetic engineering

[ninja_lord666]

Indeed, engineering is very different from experimentation . In experimentation, you're trying to figure out what happens and make a few predictions based on what you know. In engineering, you already know everything that can happen and try and find a solution within those boundaries.

 

Anyways, I was thinking to myself:

Bamboo, which is actually a grass BTW, grows a meter a day. If you could put the gene for that sort of growth into, say, a pine tree........They'd grow so fast we'd have no choice but to clearcut!

No, that would seriously f**k up the ecosystem. Firstly, any animal living in that tree would probably have their nest destroyed. Secondly, the lifespan of those trees would drastically decrease causing them to die left and right. However, the reproductive systems wouldn't be up to speed, so the trees wouldn't have enough time to reproduce, most likely. It would just be a disaster.

[NewtC]

Also, pine trees are an entirely different type of plant. Bamboo, as you said, is a grass, which means it is neither deciduous, or an evergreen. Pine trees however are evergreens, which could result in an unpredictable result. It might not even have an effect. One more thing, growth is a hormone, not a gene. It cannot be spliced into another organism. (((((I'm not sure your right about that Newt. Isn't there a gene that dictates how much hormone is made?)))))

????

[Marcus Wolfe]

Hmm... perhaps we should not try to make trees grow like bamboo, but instead, make bamboo as sturdy as most trees?

 

(no, wait, bamboo is already that strong....nevermind)

 

It was just a passing thought that I thought I should record before I forgot it.

[Thanodai]

Genetic engineering is a wonderful concept. It has the potential to rid us of genetic disorders, stop cancer, eradicate all sorts of diseases and pests. To give us a better tomorrow. Having said that, unfortunately, we are only human. And as human greed, selfishness and power tend to play a huge role in how we use our resources, technology and scientific discoveries. At best, it would be used as a way to make huge sums of money, creating an even bigger gap in the economic divide, and at worst it would be used as a weapon and a means of controlling our society. I have more to say, but it is late, and my brain is starting shut down. Hopefully, I can explain my stance better when I'm more coherent.

 

-T-

[Marcus Wolfe]

That reminds me.......

 

some time ago, I remember reading about the leader of Spain trying to remove the gene that causes the need for sleep in humans.

 

weird or what?

[jojo man]

That reminds me.......

 

some time ago, I remember reading about the leader of Spain trying to remove the gene that causes the need for sleep in humans.

 

weird or what?

Umm...Not possible, I think. :blink: Sleep is a physical necessity because the human body gets fatigued, not because the DNA says so. (I'm not a geneticist(sp?), but i'm pretty sure thats right)

[Marcus Wolfe]

Either it was he was trying to eliminate the need for sleep or reduce it drastically, I don't remember.

[Thanodai]

Umm...Not possible, I think. :blink: Sleep is a physical necessity because the human body gets fatigued, not because the DNA says so. (I'm not a geneticist(sp?), but i'm pretty sure thats right)

Theoretically, if we discovered the right sequences, we could program our cells to regenerate more quickly than they do. Sleep is just a way for us to regenerate ourselves. That is when the greatest amount of healing occurs. Essentially, we could eliminate the physical need for sleep by increasing our body's regenerative ability. But the psychological implications of that would be astounding. Our bodies and minds are naturally programmed on a day/night cycle and the mental breakdown that would occur when that physical need no longer becomes necessary would be more destructive than any positive effect one would garner from eliminating that physical need. We'd become a society of mentally unstable, though physically superior, insomniacs. Chaos would rain, the Y2K bug would spoil your milk and erase your cds, and the fishysticks would be lost.

 

-T-

[Marcus Wolfe]

Oh, yeah, I guess Mr. Leader of Spain overlooked that little factor.

[worm82075]

Seems this topic has gotten very interesting in my absence.

 

Firstly, genetically engineering a pine tree to grow faster should most definitely be at the top of our to do list. Especially considering we have to plant three to every one we harvest and the recovery rate is 15-20 years. We are barely keeping up with our own demand and that would not be the case if it were not for introduction of plastic and metal substitutes of building materials introduced in the past 20 years.

 

Secondly, the need for sleep can be eliminated on a physical level. Regeneration is not the deciding factor in the need for sleep as our body are constantly regenerating and that rate is directly proportional to the speed at which our hearts beat. More fuel equals more speed and we slow down an awful lot when we sleep. It is about toxins. When we sleep all of our systems slow down and this is the time that our bodies concentrate almost solely on removing those toxins. But where do they come from? Well, they come from the foods and drinks we consume. Theoretically, if you could remove the need to eat you would not need to sleep. {Byline-Incidentally it is not possible for the human body to remove all of these toxins by way of the bloodstream and that is why we as humans, in order to remain healthy, must sweat in order to remove the remaining toxins. Also to make the removal process easier for your system you need to be well hydrated. If you generally feel like crap and/or have frequent headaches no matter how well rested or fed you are, chances are all you need to do is drink more water and break a sweat more often. That is why steam rooms are so important to physically inactive people.}

 

This is a purely physiological limitation and therefor can be overcome. However there is also a serious psychologically issue that at this time cannot be overcome. The need for our subconscious to be allowed to have control of our brains for short periods of time in order for us to maintain sanity is something that will take a very long time to negate. The world record for sleep deprivation without permanent negative mental heath is 11 days. Currently it is possible with proper diet to stay awake for 3-5 days and still remain healthy. You must have a very strong conscious mind to this though. Anyone that has suffered from insomnia can tell you about the "sketching" (seeing things that aren't there). I have been a life long sufferer and I know that this is my subconscious struggling to gain control. This struggle has drove many a man insane and is the reason why addicts of stimulants such as cocaine and meth-amphetamine have permanent mental problems, they have lost the ability to fully suppress their subconscious mind.

 

Completely eliminating the need for sleep will come only after altering the brain's processes directly and that is another issue entirely and is quite akin to the moral implications presented by genetically altering human DNA.

 

To quote one of my favorite cartoons, Family Guy, the embittered Vietnam vet "I've seen some things and some stuff, man. .............I wouldn't recommend it."