this post was submitted on 20 May 2025
270 points (96.9% liked)

World News

47103 readers
3059 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News [email protected]

Politics [email protected]

World Politics [email protected]


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

https://web.archive.org/web/20250520091052/https://newatlas.com/biology/worlds-first-gene-edited-spider-produces-red-fluorescent-silk/

Some spooky thoughts about it also there are already glow in a dark domestic flowers, and myself using florescent tape

all 37 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 53 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Well it's about time. The attic could use a little panache.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 2 weeks ago

Lil guy’s got panache comin out the wazoo, literally

[–] [email protected] 33 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

So where do we go to get bit? For Uncle Ben.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago

Exactly what I thought when I first mis-read it as "gene-editing" instead of "gene-edited" and thought Spiderman!

[–] [email protected] 31 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Using fluorescent proteins is a first step because it is easy to verify that the transgene is expressed where you want it to be expressed.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 2 weeks ago

I don't want no trans genes in my spiders! I thought trump was getting rid of DEI!

[–] [email protected] 22 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Can we gene edit ticks to not carry diseases? Same with skitters please!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Why not edit them to be sterile eventually. Do they really provide a real benefit?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

A lot of things eat a lot of other things too. The only concern I can think of is being afraid that something worse might somehow fulfill its biological niche.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Gene therapy all the way down!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I think that's the goal! Mosquitos are already being fought this way where genetically modified males are introduced to the environment who are stronger and faster than the locals but their offsprings are sterile. It's a wildly effective strategy!

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I see no way this could possibly go wrong.

[–] [email protected] 36 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Yeah, what if it bites someone. That could end up causing a mutation in them that gives them spider powers. Like some sort of man-spider that would be a menace to society.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Man-spider, Man-spider, does whatever a man-spider does

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

In this timeline there's no way Spider-Man isn't a billionaire super villain.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Look I wish we were at the point where we could make unspeakable horrors even if only on accidents, it would make the field I am studying a lot lot lot more fun!

Gene editing is rllllly not scawy if you look into it, only the same folks rage against it who fear wind turbines and deny global warming

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Those computers with neurons are hard at work

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Man-made horrors.

The CL1 computer is the first in the world that combines human neurons with a silicon chip. It could be used in disease modeling and drug discovery before it expires after six months.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago

What happens if it bites a human? Also, unrelated, how would I get access to be bitten by the spider?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago

I feel like I should be horrified by this. And yet, I think it's pretty cool.

Some spooky thoughts about it also there are already glow in a dark domestic flowers

OMG if we can get glow in the dark spider silk so I can avoid walking through them in the summertime near our garage door that would be great.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

So, when this results in a new Spider-Man, he can weave his own outfit?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Only when we also get the same spider to make blue as well.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago

I imagine someone pitched spider man shooting red and blue webs in the early 2000s, was shot down for that being unrealistic, and now feels super vindicated

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago

The Ghormins will be very interested in their careers.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago

Now if only we could gene-edit article writers to include photos of the thing in question. Where's the red, fluorescent silk?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

It's almost time for Spider Man in real life! Can you see it on the horizon? It will be outlined by the eerie red glow of spiderwebs.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Jeez, and here I am reading Jurassic Park.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Why can't we just modify fruit flys instead

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah so they kamikaze