this post was submitted on 13 Dec 2024
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World-leading scientists have called for a halt on research to create “mirror life” microbes amid concerns that the synthetic organisms would present an “unprecedented risk” to life on Earth.

The international group of Nobel laureates and other experts warn that mirror bacteria, constructed from mirror images of molecules found in nature, could become established in the environment and slip past the immune defences of natural organisms, putting humans, animals and plants at risk of lethal infections.

Many molecules for life can exist in two distinct forms, each the mirror image of the other. The DNA of all living organisms is made from “right-handed” nucleotides, while proteins, the building blocks of cells, are made from “left-handed” amino acids. Why nature works this way is unclear: life could have chosen left-handed DNA and right-handed proteins instead.

The fresh concerns over the technology are revealed in a 299-page report and a commentary in the journal Science. While enthusiastic about research on mirror molecules, the report sees substantial risks in mirror microbes and calls for a global debate on the work.

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[–] Boozilla@lemmy.world 130 points 1 week ago (2 children)

And here I thought my late 2024 anxiety level was maxed out already.

[–] solrize@lemmy.world 27 points 1 week ago (3 children)

It gets worse. They are also working on mirror physics, where they launch orbiting observatories made of antimatter. What could possibly go wrong.

[–] CarbonIceDragon@pawb.social 34 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Antimatter does not replicate the way microbes do to be fair. It's dangerous to handle in large enough amounts obviously, be we don't have the energy to produce enough to create a serious danger nor the technology to store that amount at once.

[–] tdawg@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago

Ya the total amount of antimatter ever produced is something insaly small like 10 nanograms

[–] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Activate the omega-13... 48 times.

[–] b3an@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I love the movie Galaxy Quest.

It’s a ROCK! IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY VULNERABLE SPOTS!

[–] RisingSwell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Funny line, definitely untrue of most rocks though

[–] b3an@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Fight a rock monster barehanded then!

GET OFF THE LINE GUY!

[–] RisingSwell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Would you not fight it with a hammer and chisel? Or like a jack hammer?

[–] swab148@lemm.ee 2 points 1 week ago

If my learnings have taught me anything, you would fight rock with paper

[–] b3an@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Can you form some kind of rudimentary lathe?

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 week ago

Is this how we unwittingly start a new simulation within this simulation?

[–] skillissuer@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 1 week ago

lol don't worry about it, you'll be long dead from global warming by the time it's developed