[ExI] Directed Evolution Teaches Nature the Unnatural, Brings Silicon to Life

[Giulio Prisco]

Why shouldn't C-Si lifeforms be intelligent?

On Fri, Nov 25, 2016 at 4:20 PM, spike <spike66 at att.net> wrote:
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf
> Of Giulio Prisco
> Sent: Friday, November 25, 2016 5:46 AM
> To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
> Subject: [ExI] Directed Evolution Teaches Nature the Unnatural, Brings
> Silicon to Life
>
> Directed Evolution Teaches Nature the Unnatural, Brings Silicon to Life
>
> Caltech researchers have achieved a spectacular demonstration that living
> organisms can be persuaded to make silicon-carbon bonds. The study is the
> first to show that nature can adapt to incorporate silicon into carbon-based
> molecules, the building blocks of life. This breakthrough could have en
> important impact on how medicines and other chemicals are made in the
> future, and open new horizons to synthetic biology....
>
> https://hacked.com/directed-evolution-teaches-nature-unnatural-brings-silico
> n-life/
>
> https://hacked.com/directed-evolution-teaches-nature-unnatural-brings-silico
> n-life/
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
> This could be a possible addition to the list for explaining the Great
> Filter.
>
> Scenario: life always evolves as carbon based, and if left to its own
> devices stays that way.  Some of the carbon-based life eventually evolves
> intelligence, discovers the similarity between carbon and silicon,
> eventually figures out how to make carbon-silicon bonds in lifeforms, C-Si
> lifeform escapes from the lab, devours soil, planet is soon overrun by C-Si
> lifeforms which are robust but not intelligent.  Result: living but dumb
> planet, no signals.
>
> spike
>
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