peter  +  24034 Sun, 29 Feb 04 04:34 PM It has been said that now scientists can isolate the parts of the genetic code responsible for creating those parts of an animal which will give the creature a conscious mind i.e. the brain CNS etc. After that the next step would be to grow an animal's body which is basically mindless. I have also heard that it is possible to feed said mindless body with protein based plant products thereby creating an animal ready for consumption. In essence the idea is ; to use lets say, the chicken blueprint and adapt it to use as a sponge so-to-speak for plant protein, thereby creating something that looks and tastes like chicken but is didn't have to get stuffed along with 20000 other chickens in a cardboard box. Do you think this is possible? Would people accept it? Do you feel like chicken as much as i do? PS I changed the title to lower-case as it was looking too imposing peter Joined on Fri, Feb 7 2003 Full Member 221 Spinning tales out of anti-matter and photons is an explosive buisness.

	learner  +  24050 Sun, 29 Feb 04 08:46 PM These studies freak me out!! I am not against development, but I think this is completely absurd. They could use this money to really FEED people, give them food, improve their health system.. See how Africa is now? Thousands of people dying because they don't have enough to eat, because their water is polluted, because they don't have a clue how to protect themselves against AIDS, cholera, whatsoever.. Here in Brazil we have hunger problems too.. And it's absurd to think that while is people starving to death, hundreds of others are wasting food.. by the way, I love chicken and fish.. and hardly ever have red meat.. learner Joined on Tue, Feb 24 2004 Brazil Full Member 104

	Elena  +  24110 Mon, 01 Mar 04 09:32 AM I think it will be possible. I'd never eat that. I am convinced vegetarianism is the natural, healthy and moral way of alimentation. Elena Joined on Thu, Jul 31 2003 Regular Member 827 Enjoying my English study

	maj  +  24112 Mon, 01 Mar 04 09:46 AM What about the States where so many people are overweight? What do you think? It is kind of weird to see oriental-looking people so fat. Should the govenment do something as Obesity is becoming a serious health problem? maj Joined on Mon, Mar 31 2003 Senior Member 4,756

	learner  +  24127 Mon, 01 Mar 04 01:47 PM That's a problem, too.. Poor diet = too much fat. Unfortunatelly we know that it will take years to make all these people understand that eating badly is unhealthy, so that they can give their children the right food... The diseases that are developed after getting obese cost a lot of money for public health. It's easy to see that it is a matter of changing alimentation habits. The US Government should do something about it. But they are so busy trying to find WMDs, Bin Laden, stand against gay marriage and talk about J Jackson's breasts that they don't have enough time.. Am I being too rude here? sorry... learner Marriage

	rommie  +  24130 Mon, 01 Mar 04 01:58 PM It has been said that now scientists can isolate the parts of the genetic code responsible for creating those parts of an animal which will give the creature a conscious mind i.e. the brain CNS etc. I am familiar with genetics, and I don't believe this statement is entirely true. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is pure fantasy. Can you back up this claim with references? Real ones, I mean, as in, from scientific journals, not from the dregs of the X-Files. Rommie rommie Joined on Mon, Jan 26 2004 Earth orbit Regular Member 606

	peter  +  24143 Mon, 01 Mar 04 04:30 PM No I can't actually. However It does seem plausable. I mean at a basic level the genetic code is a series of instructions for growth. I thought when I heard it that it would be easy enough to 'remove' those sequences responsible for certain organs. I must confess I do't know that much about the practise of genetic modification. I assumed the science still borders on fantasy and application. To be honest it was a discussion I had in an office. Like I said it seemed plausable. peter

	Elena  +  24155 Mon, 01 Mar 04 07:19 PM What is the name of the things genetic engineers are doing recently? that of creating tissues, part of organs for transplants from techiques of cloning? Elena

	rommie  +  24172 Mon, 01 Mar 04 08:58 PM Not sure off hand, but I can find out if you want. You're talking about stem-cell research, right? This tech is still in its early days, but when it reaches a more advanced state it will certainly save a lot of lives. With regard to the original thread topic, you can't grow an animal without a brain, as Peter seemed to be suggesting, and even neurologists (let alone geneticists!) don't know anywhere near enough about the mechanism of consciousness to even think about removing it. This sort of scaremongering just gives science a bad name, notwithstanding the fact that it's not even true. I remember when the Human Genome Project announced the completion of its project. This moment for me stands as the single most momentous event in human history, arguably more significant to the human species than the moon landings. This research holds the promise of cures for cancer in the very near future, for example, and longer lifespans for us all. I wouldn't mind a rational debate about such things, but Frankenstein science it is not. Of course there will always be sci-fi, horror and fantasy fiction based on new concepts of human discovery. From the computer age we see movies of computers and robots taking over the world and enslaving humanity, for example. Such fantasies are healthy - and perhaps they are even our way of imagining the dangers so we can avoid them - but it is wise not to confuse the Twilight Zone with real life. This is new medicine, and one day, your life might depend on it. Rommie rommie Regards