Scientists create life in a test tube

Is there really a point in attempting to synthesize advanced microbial life from non-life?

[QUOTE][b]1) intelligents is required to make a virus (!)[/QUOTE][/b]No, it doesn't show that intelligence is required for anything, just that in this case there was an intelligence involved. [QUOTE][b]1) people who write this stuff doesn't have a clue about life[/QUOTE][/b]Ad hominem. [QUOTE][b]2) some scientists have completely gone mad[/QUOTE][/b]No, it actually serves a purpose in this case. I suggest reading the article. Also, even if you insist that this was a bad idea it would be more accurate to phrase it, "Some military people have completely gone mad." And as for claiming this is propaganda, it isn't really scary when you consider that polio is still running wild. Besides, I doubt there is a known pathogen that the US does not already have in cold storage in either Atlanta or Bethesda. All this demonstrates is that terrorists don't need direct access to some viruses to use them as a weapon. This is a valid point as well, a lack of complexity does not make an agent temperate. Ebola Zaire uses, what, nine genes?But I still don't understand how synthesizing life from the ground up would make much sense when we have recombinant DNA technology for the same purpose.

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[This message has been edited by gene90, 07-12-2002]

Make it public so the genomics companies will crosscheck DNA with known pathogens.