Synthetic DNA demonstrates origins of evolution Geoff: UK Medical Research Council's Laboratory of Molecular Biology have produced synthetic strands of DNA and RNA to demonstrate that the properties of being able to encode and pass on genetic information is not dependant on a highly specific chemical formula. With this experiment, it can be more firmly posited that the proven manner in which amino acids can be spontaneously created from inorganic matter was inevitably going to result in simple and, given time, eventually complex life. The following was taken from the BBC News website. Researchers have succeeded in mimicking the chemistry of life in synthetic versions of DNA and RNA molecules. The work shows that DNA and its chemical cousin RNA are not unique in their ability to encode information and to pass it on through heredity. The work, reported in Science, is promising for future "synthetic biology" and biotechnology efforts. It also hints at the idea that if life exists elsewhere, it could be bound by evolution but not by similar chemistry. In fact, one reason to mimic the functions of DNA and RNA - which helps cells to manufacture proteins - is to determine how they came about at the dawn of life on Earth; many scientists believe that RNA arose first but was preceded by a simpler molecule that performed the same function. However, it has remained unclear if any other molecule can participate in the same unzipping and copying processes that give DNA and RNA their ability to pass on the information they carry in the sequences of their nucleobases - the five chemical group "letters" from which the the two molecules' genetic information is composed.  duncan124: They have made some of the chemical which is part of human DNA and got it to function in some way. It is very far from DNA but it is surprising that it does pass information on. It is an old story from the BBC and there might be some reason why they have repeated it other then they just have n,t said it for sometime. Despite the hosepipe ban it has rained a lot and a lot of people have colds. Geoff: I know its not a new story, but the fact that the top for threads in the science forum were about aliens, end of the world conspiracies, vampires, and repetitive hollow earth drivel pissed me off. I felt we were overdue a little creationist baiting. duncan124: Tony Blair funded the research- it was n,t the people who made the stuff who found out what it was made of - during the Mad Cow disaster.  StuckInTheSixties: I can't believe you're not fascinated by the Hollow Earth drivel ... Seriously, here in "New Wireclub," the creationists really haven't been making the racket they used to make before. Other than that guy smoke, who isn't capable of anything other than spamming Bible scripture, the creationists have been pretty quiet. Geoff: The story I referred to was dated 19 April 2012 and referred to an article in the latest edition of Science Magazine. duncan124: Yeah, but we have heard it before. Pravda has now got an article about fungi taking over the world and I think that was the starting question which was put to the UK scientists 20 years ago.  oh_good_laughs: Intriguing.. This ones for you SITS!!! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_gene_synthesis hahaha oh_good_laughs: Geoff, this ones for you! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_biology I could now have explained Evolution better myself!! So lucid, duncan124: Raised eye brows at Risen sun. I think the point is why are scientists making parts of humans. oh_good_laughs: My true intent was to show how unreliable wiki is. When your back, i will show you any random article. oh_good_laughs: It doesn't look like i'm going to catch you before work. But, the jest was, i made both those wikipedia articles say something ridiculous on the subject. Just as anyone, anywhere, can go back and edit it. StuckInTheSixties: Both of your revisions were almost instantaneously detected, pegged as "vandalism" (Wiki's term, not mine), and corrected. Therefore, when I clicked the links, and checked out the articles, I got the corrected versions, not your vandalized versions. Would you care for some mustard on your foot? oh_good_laughs: haha, if i had taken time to set up an account, it would have lasted a lot longer. If i would fill out some blank references, it would have lasted longer. Wiki is written by anyone and everyone.  (Post deleted by Mew_ ) | Science Chat Room 1 Person Chatting Similar Conversations |