considering that 1ml of sea water contains up to 1x10^8 virus particles [ref], is it concievable that these particles can be filtered out and used for their nutritional value?

considering that 1ml of sea water contains up to 1x10^8 virus particles [ref][/url'], is it concievable that these particles can be filtered out and used for their nutritional value?

 

I suppose but why make the effort? There are tonns of gold dissolved in the sea but its to much of a pain to extrct so its left there- why would we need to do this when there are more easily accessible sources of nutrients available?

 

But the answer is probably yes it could be done.

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

maybe viruses can be engineered to store the gold? would this be better?

maybe viruses can be engineered to store the gold? would this be better?

 

Its an interesting idea but again there are problems.

 

1) Viruses need living cells to reproduce.

2) How would you modify all those viruses to collect gold?

 

The reason for the first is obvious - viruses are very target specific. Once modifiesd they would need to be introduced into a host so they can repproduce.

 

The second is a bit harder. Out knowledge of genetic engineering is in its infancy, we would not yet have the ability to engineer a virus to do that.

 

I can't really think of a lot of things that could be done with them that would even equalise the costs of extraction. Without meeting the costs of extraction it would be useless as an industry for one thing

 

Also regarding the inital post - I think some people may object to the idea of eating burgers made form viruses

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

well the protein content should be quite high, and for the vegans out there what could be better?

 

haven't the aussies done a lot on gold-seeking and eating bacteria? the technology may be around the corner.

There are efforts underway to study the possible use of nanotechnology to mine the oceans for particulates.

well the protein content should be quite high, and for the vegans out there what could be better?

 

Oh I'd have no problem with it but you can bet some people would.

 

haven't the aussies done a lot on gold-seeking and eating bacteria? the technology may be around the corner.

 

Not shure about this at all, maybe they do. We don't really understand DNA to make any real big changes to it yet but we can do basic modifications such as making bacteria produce insulin.

 

Maybe it is possible, maybe its not. We all have sole gold within us anyway - just not a lot

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

So they look up Jonah the nanoprobe, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

Also regarding the inital post - I think some people may object to the idea of eating burgers made form viruses

This is where marketing steps up to the plate, as it were.

 

Try new OINK*Burgers! Nutritious, Delicious and Vicious!

 

 

 

 

 

* Obligate Intracellular Non-pathogenic Kreatures

want to go into business anyone?

with drinkable water becoming such a dwindling resource in many parts of the world [ref], perhaps the economic pressure to extract resources from the ocean, including water itself, will become more significant than we can presently imagine?

Oh I'd have no problem with it but you can bet some people would.

 

 

 

Not shure about this at all' date=' maybe they do. We don't really understand DNA to make any real big changes to it yet but we can do basic modifications such as making bacteria produce insulin.

 

Maybe it is possible, maybe its not. We all have sole gold within us anyway - just not a lot

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones[/quote']

 

 

Yea... I have no real idea as to where I would start to make a bacterium that would sequester gold. but, if there is another organism doing this already, its just a matter of mimmicking it, which is much easier. gold is an element, so receptors wouldn't have to be that complicated. I would think that its feasible.

with drinkable water becoming such a dwindling resource in many parts of the world [ref],[/url'] perhaps the economic pressure to extract resources from the ocean, including water itself, will become more significant than we can presently imagine?

 

Distilling fresh water from seawater is already in practice in a lot of places, as far as I know. It's just more difficult to do on a large scale than is practical, most of the time. I don't doubt mining seawater for minerals will become feasible in the not-too-distant future, but I seriously doubt it will utilize viruses.

Distilling fresh water from seawater is already in practice in a lot of places, as far as I know. It's just more difficult to do on a large scale than is practical, most of the time. I don't doubt mining seawater for minerals will become feasible in the not-too-distant future, but I seriously doubt it will utilize viruses.

 

I agree with that. The only time they would ever try to extract say gold from sea water would be if the supplies on the land ran out.

 

Seeing as that will not happen soon we don't have a lot of hope for seeing this.

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones