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The problem is that those organisms will grow very quickly and are prone to mutations. You'd end up with a huge population of rapidly evolving critters, somethi
by Scriptor 16y ago
The problem is that those organisms will grow very quickly and are prone to mutations. You'd end up with a huge population of rapidly evolving critters, something you can never predict.
- jrockway 16y agoWe have this problem without any DNA manipulation. Ever heard of MRSA?
- Scriptor 16y agoThey're not really equivalent. MRSA evolved in hospitals from whatever strains were resistant to drugs. Otherwise it's been in the environment for a while and there's not really an ecological risk. On the other hand, we have no idea how a completely synthetic life-form will end up in the environment. They could be just like other organisms, or we might unwittingly give them a huge advantage in some way that causes them to outcompete others.