06-07-2015, 02:54 PM
I found something interesting while doing a web search to help me in an online argument with a creationist (yeah, I know 
) which might be relevant to OA, perhaps.
Apparently, a common bacterium has evolved within historic time (less than a century - the 1930s at the earliest) to be able to use a completely novel chemical as an energy source, using a completely new enzyme. The enzyme is called nylonase, and that gives a clue to what it does. The substrate involved isn't actually nylon - it's a waste product of nylon manufacture - but I don't think that affects the argument.
So what I am wondering is: How likely is it that some essential component of future technology (maybe something like graphene, which is probably going to start being used in large amounts soon) is going to become the target of biological attack, either by natural means (random mutation) or deliberate geneering? And how much of a problem would it be?
) which might be relevant to OA, perhaps.Apparently, a common bacterium has evolved within historic time (less than a century - the 1930s at the earliest) to be able to use a completely novel chemical as an energy source, using a completely new enzyme. The enzyme is called nylonase, and that gives a clue to what it does. The substrate involved isn't actually nylon - it's a waste product of nylon manufacture - but I don't think that affects the argument.
So what I am wondering is: How likely is it that some essential component of future technology (maybe something like graphene, which is probably going to start being used in large amounts soon) is going to become the target of biological attack, either by natural means (random mutation) or deliberate geneering? And how much of a problem would it be?