Patent Issued on 'Synthetic Life'

Igor! Get the BIG test tube, and hurry!

how do you patent something that you haven't accomplished, and may never do?

"Scientists working to build a life form from scratch have patented the broad method they plan to use to create their "synthetic organism"."

Will this disprove Darwin's premise of provide proof of a 'rational' process of the beginning of "life?"

A clarification - from the BBC article linked in the original post, the report is on a published patent application. They have not "patented" synthetic life. They have applied for a patent, and the application could be granted, or it could be denied as being "non-statutory subject matter." Remains to be seen.

The Venter Institute's published applications are 20070122826, "Minimal bacterial genome," 5/31/07, and 20070037196, "Method for in vitro recombination," 2/15/07. The synthetic life one is probably the latter, but it's not that new - looks like it took the BBC > 3 months to break the story. You can download the published apps at www.pat2pdf.org if interested.

I'll join DavidaRheault's question, "How do you patent...?"

This is a publicity stunt meant to attract investors and perhaps lend legitimacy to the project while feeding Venter's ego.

Let's hope the Patent Examiner throws it out as, "...prior art".

They are not departing from scratch, they are departing from existing life "components".

To really depart from scratch they should use Carbon powder, Oxygen, Nitrogen and other basic molecules and atoms from the 92-element table.

The potential for life is in plain existence in every elementary particle, even a sole photon traveling at midway between galaxy clusters, and even in the absolute vacuum far away of all galaxy clusters at 0ºK.

Anyway, excellent experiment because the results are predictable:

They will crash with a wall posed by inextricable laws of Mother Nature, and that crash will be an extremely valuable service to those who dream to stop the cold war between science and religion.

Jaime Soto Figueroa

http://www.matharts.cl/

But then OTOH, if Igor finds the BIG test tube and I loan him my secret "kit of genes", who knows?

"What rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?" -Yeats

John

Yes, a "Kit of Genes" by Acme, including a 100KV fly-back to produce ray storms in the garage……..I wish to be a kid again, every week-end our home is visited by all the friends of our son and the Lulu club. But speaking seriously, what might be the purpose of to patent life forms? Isn't enough with the diversity of life forms still to discover on Earth? Recently, right after the melting of a large ice cap in Antarctica, the scientists discovered hundreds of new species, then why trying to "invent" new species?. Ok, the experiment must be done, because whatever the results they will be valuable.

Jaime

Hi Jaime,

You said: "then why trying to "invent" new species?."

Well obviously the whole idea invites a raging storm of ethical controversy. Just like cloning has. But if we lay the ethics issue aside and focus on the 5W/2H of it, there are a plethora of reasons to do it.

Consider a biological robot; a humanoid to do your bidding.

How about a new species of brain tissue that could interact with our own minds such that we, ourselves, become the new species. Ahem... now that one kinda defies patent rights I think.

The medical community could have a field day with the ability to manipulate species (again, ethics aside). Think about being able to create some living species of slime that would gobble up viruses, smog, etc.

The list could go on and on but the point is that being able to get patents on such things is no different than getting patents on pharmaceuticals or mechanical devices or anything else. It's greed, recognition, posterity and on and on...

Regards,

John

Hi Johnjohn

May be that the concept is more about modifying existing life forms rather than creating life from scratch. For example one idea would be to modify fruit trees in such a way that flowers glow light during the night, thus allowing bees to pollinate them 24 hours a day. The economical consequences of this mutation would be immense. Bees are able to see in several UV bands, but also at visible bands, so whatever the emission band, the bees will be able to detect easily.

Under the ice cap recently melted in Antarctica and under some 500 meters below ocean surface there are millions of species capable to generate light as a mean of communication, so if it were possible to transfer some of that genes to the plants to return some small percentage of the light received during day hours at night, that would be a business of infinite size.

Also many insects have the capability to detect far IR wavelengths, in special that between 14 to 18um referred to as the "thermometric band" (We see between 0.4 to 0.7um) If that capability could be transferred to humans we would be able to see the thermal landscape, and that ability also has infinite applications.

Regards

Jaime

"...If that capability could be transferred to humans we would be able to see the thermal landscape, and that ability also has infinite applications..."

But, we do have that capability, for some fifty years by now.

"...insects have the capability to detect far IR wavelengths..."

There is a little difference between "detect" and "see" in such a case. You too can detect IR with your forehead (especially with eyes closed, for some reason) and tell the (thermal) difference to about 0.1 degrees Celsius. Visualising the heat source in such case is done with not much of an effort. Snakes and even polar bears do it too, each in their own way.

To be able to "see" IR, like Thermal Camera does, which is about what I think you suggest, is only done in this case with Electro-Optics. Isn't technology an actual extension of the Human Existence?

Richard Dawkins calls this, "The Extended Phenotype". In nature's rules, to include natural selection and it's immanent consequence, even what you adopt or makeshift with, is as yours as you own body.

Would you rather flap your arms or go aboard a jet, these days?

This is spooky. I just started a similar thread. I should have checked first

Well , not exactly similar but it has elements in common - an unleashed replicating 'thing'.

Hey Kris,

I had the patent on "new species thread; post #9" you know.

But since your species is probably different from mine the question is: Can they co-exist? Replicators can be quite evil, but then a new species...

Hi John,

There is a whole range of wierd life forms it seems. Us 'normal' folk (!!) , mutated brains, merged brain and computer, engineered slimes, replicating photocopiers.

The Borg must be in that list somewhere .It sort of raises the age old question of 'what is life'. It's interesting that you mention ethics - I wonder if it matters. I tend to think that if something could happen it eventually will happen (I bet there are some nasty genetic experiments going on in some places).

People already simulate evolving life with computers , and TV has Robot Wars. All we need to do is merge the concepts. Hang on , I haven't seen that program for about a year - I wonder if a modified series is in the make !

Send me 7 of 9 if you have her. While the patent lawyers argue , I will risk prosecution to save Humankind by 'adapting' us.

Hi Kris,

Sorry, I don't have any of the series. Haven't heard anything about plans for a new one.

"I tend to think that if something could happen it eventually will happen"

Such things indeed can, and definitely will happen because the medical implications will be so beneficial that they will overpower what will eventually become a minority of objectors. I guess I'm thinking more along the lines of stem cell research, cloning, etc. which is not really "synthetic" life but such thing do, from time to time, get patented.

I believe the demand will, at some point, reach a thundering crescendo as more and more significant inroads occur. They're growing liver tissue in petri dishes for heaven's sake. I think you're right on about some nasty stuff occurring. Makes me think of "The Island of Dr. Moreau".

"Not to go on All-Fours; that is the law. Are we not men?"...

I do seem to recall reading about some group that has created (?), or grown, a small number of neurons that they have been able to get to fire & thereby create some form of rudimentary intelligence. Let me know if you've heard anything about this.

Borgs are probably an integral part of our future. Lets face it, but do not go gently...

Oh, the attorneys picked my brain (tissue) and concluded it was a frivolous lawsuit; case closed.

John

I got it Kris. The synthetic life form exists right now! It is: wallah! the internet. We all know this of course but do we realize that the internet really has a life of its own? Think about it. We use it for instant access to all the world's knowledge. We communicate with the world through it. Even when we, individually, are not connected, it's still buzzing away with millions of minds interacting with each other 24/7. Don't know about patents, etc., but it really has become a synthetic life form. How does the saying go: once you put something on the internet it can never be destroyed.

Just thinkin...

You're so right John , here and #14.

Somewhere yesterday a pretty 'meaningless question' was asked on CR4. After a couple of posts it took on a life outide CR4. All of a sudden other site contained links back to CR4. (the thread was something like 'what is Engineering capacity').

I'll think about the neuron thing - once mine have started firing ! I've only had one coffeee this morning.

ps - I've seen CR4 admin kill off a few posts and gag others (thank heavens).

I've been thinking about this, and I'd like to know how you could prove it! The chances of contamination are pretty high. Oh, and don't forget, every species alive today is a success, because it's alive today!

Right and Double-Right. The name of the game is "long-term replication"

Prove what ? You have confused me !

Kris, he may have meant: Synthetic Living-Style rather than Life-Form.

Right johnjohn?

What I mean is...they are trying to start a life process, right? Assuming they are successfully, could you prove it?

Mind you, I found a long lost coffee cup in the back of the shed the other day, it had it's own little ecology going, tiny little pterodactyls flying round the rim and everything!

I suspect there is some unknown life-form in my house. Everything I place down disappears only to emerge somewhere else weeks later. The coffee jar has a liking for hiding in the fridge. Meanwhile the milk bottle runs off to mould on a shelf. Odd. reAgent trop de vin may be the source of the phenomena.

ahh, I see . You have not guessed my nature then ? Beware of Cats with comic style eye-brows . I was perfectly normal until one day.....

I think we would need Mouldy and Scullery to prove the existance of new 'life' forms. I suppose it depends on the intent of a creator whether or not proof could be found.The first issue would be 'is it life' (please , no ,spare me the 'but not as...' ).I think I'm right in saying that people argue about if an ordinary virus is 'life' , so proof may be in the eye of the beholder.

Then again, there is this weird but concrete kind of methodology which says: "I cannot positively define it, but once present and vivid, I can positively identify it"

This is because we are symbiotic my furry friend..That which exists between us has a unique life of it's own.It may be described by others as 'fun' or even 'annoying' , many things , but it lives ! The creature lives.

Thats true, you would be hard pressed to find signs of viable life in my house on an unexpected Sunday morning.

I suspect that the doorway to most teenagers bedrooms is like a portal to some different dimension. The life within is truly surreal.

This sounds fantastic. I would like to be a teenager once, if only to be able to have something to write home about, you know, the doorway, the bedroom, the whole thing. Now, I know that at this point, I may be thought of as an AI routine from some computer, trying to imitate an intelligent being, but this is only because it was so, embedded in my main routine,following the initial setup. It should disappear within some 10 Gflop of in/out interactions, half of which already done.

Awwright, I'll rewrite the bedroom module. I guess you do deserve some sort of a past. Just don't let it go to your CPU.

John, Chief programmer Yuval Mark V

Some say he is just a baby dos with enhanced bsod sulking capacity.If he tries to leave home to soon he'll come to grief. He struts around in a hoodie , thinks he's the first generation to understand the meaning of life . Kids eh.

According to the enclosed article, "...constructing a primitive microbe from a kit of genes is a daunting task..."

Hmmm...

Constructing a virus maybe?

Take some plasmid culture, some assortment of DNA fragments from assorted sources, some reverse-transcriptase, some polymerase, heat to about 40C, stir, shake, and let it ferment over the night.

If it reminded you what is usually intimate between lovers, how coincidental could it be?

Is this life ?

Cool!

Is Sims or Half-Life a kind of life?

A kind of.

Life is what happens when you're making plans.

Who knows , but at the end of the day i just like to be chillin'

So off topic , but so laid back I can't resist.

So off-topic, it got on again, from the other side

Hmm. Not bad . At least it proves that Duracell batteris last over 3 minutes.

It lacks a certain 'something'

Age?