Re: >Techno-Optimism v Pessimism

From: Damien Broderick (d.broderick@english.unimelb.edu.au)
Date: Wed Jan 19 2000 - 04:01:29 MST


At 08:33 PM 18/01/00 -0500, Robert wrote:

>For a real world example -- ask yourself this -- If you have
>three "molecules" and a genetic program for them, i.e. the DNA for
>the genes of RNA and DNA polymerases and the ribosome subcomponents
>and one of each of those"machines" to implement the cycle:
> DNA -> RNA; RNA -> Protein; Protein makes more DNA & RNA
>how fast can that system double itself (given unlimited energy
>and material resources)? I haven't worked it out yet, but my
>brief investigation into the limiting factors (rates of transcription)
>suggests that it doubles in very short periods (probably minutes).

I believe it's on the order of 15 minutes.

Damien



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