2mo ago

World’s first gene-edited spider produces red fluorescent silk

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

33 comments

Well it's about time. The attic could use a little panache.
- Lil guy’s got panache comin out the wazoo, literally
So where do we go to get bit? For Uncle Ben.
- Exactly what I thought when I first mis-read it as "gene-editing" instead of "gene-edited" and thought Spiderman!
Can we gene edit ticks to not carry diseases? Same with skitters please!
- Why not edit them to be sterile eventually. Do they really provide a real benefit?
  
  A lot of things eat them
  
  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!
I see no way this could possibly go wrong.
- 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.
  
  Man-spider, Man-spider, does whatever a man-spider does
  
  In this timeline there's no way Spider-Man isn't a billionaire super villain.
- 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
  
  Those computers with neurons are hard at work
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.
What happens if it bites a human? Also, unrelated, how would I get access to be bitten by the spider?
So, when this results in a new Spider-Man, he can weave his own outfit?
- Only when we also get the same spider to make blue as well.
  
  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
The Ghormins will be very interested in their careers.
Now if only we could gene-edit article writers to include photos of the thing in question. Where's the red, fluorescent silk?
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.
Jeez, and here I am reading Jurassic Park.
Why can't we just modify fruit flys instead
- Yeah so they kamikaze

33 comments