Computing with RNA: We must not lose our harmonic bio-immanence

Computing with RNA:

We must not lose our harmonic bio-immanence

Rather, the power lies in bio-computers' potential ability to patch into and directly interact with, cellular processes.

"It's basically speaking the language of the cells," said Weiss, who was not involved with the study.

Weiss said the new finding "pushes the boundary" of what can be done with biological computers.

"Previously [RNA computers] weren't quite as complex," Weiss said, adding that Smolke "is expanding the library of things that are available."

More: here and here. MSNBC article here:

As organic molecules go, RNA is pretty simple. Think of it as a piece of string dyed in four different colors. Each color corresponds to one of four nucleotides. Other molecules inside a cell read the colors on the RNA and use that information to build other molecules called proteins. ...

The beauty of their design, says Smolke is that many of the parts are essentially interchangeable. Right now the more tetracycline, for instance, the more light the yeast cells emit. The scientists say they could change their device so that more tetracycline would produce less light, for instance.

Producing light is proof of principle. What really excites scientists are the potential medical applications, particularly in fighting cancer and infectious diseases.

This technology is wonderful if used wisely; otherwise we will be stripped of our harmonic bio-immanence

Remember: just say "No" to venal automatonization