Forget GMOs, scientists are creating bionic plants

[PaulW]

Personal attack? You anti-science people are all the same.
Hold on, maybe you ARE all the same.

Keep living in fear of progress. Over and out.

[Wao nahele kane]

Paul,
Tonight's Celtic Crossing appears to have successfully taken you to distant shores.

[Wao nahele kane]

Back on topic - This doesn't sound like a self regenerative process. I don't see how it's going to replace the GMO direction as the articles title somewhat suggests. What was discussed appeared fairly benign. My initial reply was to Paul's comment on what the County Council might do and really had nothing to do with this particular field of study within Biological Organization.
Maybe it will make for some really strange but expensive decorative garden plants? Who knows?
The resultant sounds like it would be degenerative with regard to the effects. IE the alteration would fade as the plants cells split and section of plant die rendering the introduction of the nanotubes no longer effective or within any remaining living parts of the plant as it grows older.

[Wao nahele kane]

I do see a possible avenue for it. If the nanotube process were to become simple and inexpensive to do on a mass scale. It could be possible to create perhaps seeds with the ability to germinate more rapidly and develop a healthier more rapid growing plant which could lead to a double harvest or more per season. I don't initially see it as being any sort of threat biologically as the nanotubes would end up in unused/dead sections of the plant as it grew and likely not present in the final product depending on the progress of the technique.

[peteadams]

quote:

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At its best, [the Cosmos show is] showing you how and why science matters to us as a civilization and as a species,” [Neil DeGrasse] Tyson said of Cosmos. “If you don’t know science in the 21st century, just move back to the cave, because that’s where we’re going to leave you as we move forward.

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http://www.mediaite.com/tv/neil-degrasse...-the-cave/

Amazing how people who deride science depend so much on the fruits of science.

[pahoated]

99% of the people on the street don't know or aren't aware we entered the Nano Age about 5 years ago. A millimeter is 1/1000 of a meter. A nanometer is 1/1,000,000,000 of a meter. We are able to image and fabricate at nanometer scales. It is possible to move individual atoms around, although nanometer fabrication isn't requiring atomic level construction. Many people believe genetic modification is like doing brain surgery with a meat cleaver, therefore always harmful. This might have been an apt analogy in the 80's but to hold on to this antiquated belief in 2014 is like still believing evil humours have to be bled out of the body. Genetic modification goes far beyond just plants, vegetables and flowers.

The other fact of life is genetic modification is going on all the time. Aging is due to genetic modification occurring naturally, although with nature, these modifications are always harmful and destructive. Eventually, our genes get modified to the point they no longer function. We are on the verge of correcting, preventing and even reversing these damaging modifications. You aren't going to be able to do this with a meat cleaver.

"This island Hawaii on this island Earth"

[PaulW]

Forget GMOS and nanotubes, now scientists are making synthetic DNA! :

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26768445

"While genetic modification involves transferring genes from one organism to another, synthetic biology goes far further by designing and then constructing entirely new genetic material."

This is a heads-up for Hawaii County Council so they can get down to banning it as soon as possible.