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RuNE
bomberman


Registered: 09/23/00
Posts: 2,331
Loc: tartarus
Last seen: 7 years, 11 months
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Custom Built Pathogens, and you!
#5927259 - 08/02/06 10:47 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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This shit reminds me of Twelve Monkeys, and Outbreak. 2 of some odd favourite movies.
US makes bio-lab to custom build viruses: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/29/AR2006072900592_pf.html
You can make your own virus, from scratch! Kill 5 million, get a prize!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/30/AR2006073000580.html?nav=hcmodule
 Thoughts?
-------------------- ~Happy sailing~
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Asante
Mage


Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,795
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Re: Custom Built Pathogens, and you! [Re: RuNE]
#5930111 - 08/03/06 11:40 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Thats one of the biggest threats to society.
-------------------- Omnicyclion.org higher knowledge starts here
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phalcon005

Registered: 12/21/05
Posts: 217
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Re: Custom Built Pathogens, and you! [Re: Asante]
#5931094 - 08/04/06 11:03 AM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Very, very interesting. I actually work in a government lab daily with known nasty pathogens, and frankly the thought of money being spent on such a project scares the heck out of me. The combination of the government oversights and poor management with highly virulent pathogens seems a volatile combination.
On top of that the U.S. government needs to get off the kick of thinking it will last forever. What happens if the government keeps up it's fascist trend? One zealous general could get his hands on such pathogens that are for 'defensive use only'. What if a bloody earthquake or meteor struck the bloody lab? Unlikely sure, but what would be the consequences? This stuff makes great post-apocalyptic stories, maybe we'll get to live one...
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RuNE
bomberman


Registered: 09/23/00
Posts: 2,331
Loc: tartarus
Last seen: 7 years, 11 months
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Re: Custom Built Pathogens, and you! [Re: phalcon005]
#5932181 - 08/04/06 05:17 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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I actualy thought the second article was a lot scarier than the first. I'm actualy FOR the US lab now infact, after reading that second article.
It seems almost inevitable that some crazy biologist will make a super strain and release it, a la 12 Monkeys.
-------------------- ~Happy sailing~
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majortom
EstrangedStranger

Registered: 07/31/06
Posts: 12
Last seen: 12 years, 10 months
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Re: Custom Built Pathogens, and you! [Re: RuNE]
#5936142 - 08/06/06 02:55 AM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_goo
Is it only a matter of time, this gray goo?
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LuNaTiX
Quarterback



Registered: 07/28/03
Posts: 5,142
Last seen: 3 months, 16 days
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Re: Custom Built Pathogens, and you! [Re: RuNE]
#5938084 - 08/06/06 07:24 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Scary stuff me thinks
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jungjedi
starfleet


Registered: 03/20/05
Posts: 316
Loc: headed towards the fronti...
Last seen: 17 years, 4 months
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Re: Custom Built Pathogens, and you! [Re: LuNaTiX]
#5938441 - 08/06/06 09:17 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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do you think nono-viruses can be turned on and off and that undesirable dna strands can be eliminate with nano viruses?
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phalcon005

Registered: 12/21/05
Posts: 217
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Re: Custom Built Pathogens, and you! [Re: jungjedi]
#5969433 - 08/16/06 01:18 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Interesting questions on nano-viruses. Could they potentially eliminate undesirable dna segments? Possibly. As for turning then on and off I wouldn't be so sure. Virus's are highly mutagenic due to their small genomes and 'generation' times being so short, so I could see how a switch could simply become an on switch if that favored the virus in some way and was selected for. Obviously then things would get out of hand.
Along those same lines, it might be possible for nano-viruses to cut and remove genes, but what if it cuts, keeps, and ends up sticking it somewhere else? If it was a matter of life or death I can see someone taking the risk, but taking a nano-viral treatment to reduce my hair loss isn't likely.
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