9-18-11
Current Event
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915091625.htm
“Scientists Take First Step Toward Creating ‘Inorganic Life’”
In the article I read, scientists have begun to create the first inorganic cells. These new cells are called iCHELLs. iCHELLs are created by compartmentalising internal membranes that control the passage of materials. These cells are made from inorganic matter and chemicals. They do have characteristics of cells such as; a semi-permeable membrane, self-replicating, and evolving. iCHELLs can have several chemical processes occurring inside them at the same time. One researcher said,
“What we are trying do is create self-replicating, evolving inorganic cells that would essentially be alive. You could call it inorganic biology.” Inorganic Biology is the perfect term to use for the potential of the ability to watch the evolution and production of the chemical based cells, these inorganic cells. These cells can store store electricity, oddly enough, and thus they could be applied in medicine.
This creation of iCHELLs could revolutionize many things. Firstly and probably most importantly, this could change our whole prospective on life and if it could exist elsewhere. The prospect of having inorganic life on other planets is incredible at the least, mostly because of the new possibility that it could come from inorganic compounds. An other way these iCHELLs could affect us is the ability to see life evolve from a different prospective. Previously thought to be inanimate objects could actually be alive. What we could potentially learn from watching the evolution of these cells could benefit our knowledge of organic cells and help us in medicine or biotechnology.
This article was very insightful, but it lacked a few things. First of the article was very short and did not offer much information in this amazing new topic of inorganic biology. The article also did not provide a very detailed description of how the iCHELLs are created, or how many of them there are. This article did do a very good job, however, of providing many theoretical effects of these iCHELLs. Overall I see this article as being the first in many to talk and theorize about inorganic life.
Carty Caruso chose an interesting article to review this week: “Scientists Take First Step Towards Creating ‘Inorganic Life.’” Carty’s review was enlightening as to why this piece was interesting. He explained the purpose of the article and the main focus: iCHELLs. He compared this early form of inorganic life to that of organic life, which highlighted the most important point. Carty also pulled a quote from the article to augment his review and give a basis for his next comment. Finally, he gave some insight as to how iCHELLs could improve life on Earth.
ReplyDeleteTo improve, Carty could have expanded a little more on what his own thoughts on iCHELLs were. He hints at his approval and intrigue in the second paragraph, but it would have been nice to include a little more personal feedback. Additionally, he could have also gone further with an explanation on how iCHELLs benefit our current way of life. He definitely stated how it could revolutionize life, but he only slightly touched upon how it could be applied to life as it is now, perhaps in the medicinal world.
This article on inorganic biology and Carty’s review were both very informative. I am glad I chose to read his piece because it was on a topic I had never heard of before. Inorganic biology seems to be only in its baby steps right now and I’m sure we will be hearing more about it in the years to come. Thanks to Carty, I am intrigued and want to learn more about this new branch of science.
Carty effectively chronicled the radically new concept of iChells in his current event on “Scientists Take First Step Toward Creating Inorganic Life. ” His synopsis of the article aptly illuminated the concept of iChells, or inorganic cells, and how they are to be created. Carty notes that iChells are synthesized by, “compartmentalizing internal membranes that control the passage of materials,” and that these cells would essentially be deemed living since they possess characteristics such as, “a semi-permeable membrane, self-replicating, and evolving.” Additionally, Carty adroitly characterizes this new field of science as that of “Inorganic Biology.” This was very insightful, and it gave readers a taste of what this particular field of science was truly about. Last, Carty dexterously concludes his critique with the potential of “Inorganic Biology,” and what it may hold in the future.
ReplyDeleteCarty’s critique of the article could have been improved in some regards. Grammatically speaking, it was riddled with spelling and structural errors, which often made it difficult for the reader to follow his train of thought. In some instances, this seriously stunted the insightful message of his current event, and in the future closer attention should be paid to these issues. Also, Carty neglects to address Professor Lee Cronin’s motives for initiating these studies in this field of science, which included the aim to “construct complex chemical cells with life-like properties that could help us understand how life emerged.”
I was truly impressed by the significant promise that iCHELLS could hold for our future. The cell’s ability to store electricity means that they could be employed in a wide range of medicinal applications, to act as sensors, or to confine chemical reactions. If Professor Cronin’s work proves successful, it would defy all previous conceptions of inorganic life as inanimate.
Brian Forst
ReplyDelete9/20/11
AP Bio
Carty effectively chronicled the radically new concept of iChells in his current event on “Scientists Take First Step Toward Creating Inorganic Life. ” His synopsis of the article aptly illuminated the concept of iChells, or inorganic cells, and how they are to be created. Carty notes that iChells are synthesized by, “compartmentalizing internal membranes that control the passage of materials,” and that these cells would essentially be deemed living since they possess characteristics such as, “a semi-permeable membrane, self-replicating, and evolving.” Additionally, Carty adroitly characterizes this new field of science as that of “Inorganic Biology.” This was very insightful, and it gave readers a taste of what this particular field of science was truly about. Last, Carty dexterously concludes his critique with the potential of “Inorganic Biology,” and what it may hold in the future.
Carty’s critique of the article could have been improved in some regards. Grammatically speaking, it was riddled with spelling and structural errors, which often made it difficult for the reader to follow his train of thought. In some instances, this seriously stunted the insightful message of his current event, and in the future closer attention should be paid to these issues. Also, Carty neglects to address Professor Lee Cronin’s motives for initiating these studies in this field of science, which included the aim to “construct complex chemical cells with life-like properties that could help us understand how life emerged.”
I was truly impressed by the significant promise that iCHELLS could hold for our future. The cell’s ability to store electricity means that they could be employed in a wide range of medicinal applications, to act as sensors, or to confine chemical reactions. If Professor Cronin’s work proves successful, it would defy all previous conceptions of inorganic life as inanimate.