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Hacking Swine Flu

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  • 01-09-2009 11:10pm
    #1
    Gordon
    Registered Users Posts: 35,524 ✭✭✭✭


    Sorry if this has been posted, not sure if it's in the right forum actually!

    Just read this on slashdot ("How Many Bits Does It Take To Kill You?"). It gives a coders insight into understanding DNA and RNA and how human viruses act like computers, or at least giving an understanding of virii in geekspeak. I certainly didn't understand a great deal of the techie aspects but it was fascinating nonetheless.


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    #2
    Captain Furball
    Closed Accounts Posts: 909 ✭✭✭Captain Furball


    It’s humbling that I could be killed by 3.2kbytes of genetic data. Then again, with 850 Mbytes of data in my genome, there’s bound to be an exploit or two.

    All I can say is, that's one of the most funniest things I've ever read.


    The article this man wrote was very interesting and absolutely brilliant.This guy actually tells you all you need to do is change 2 bits and the H1N1 will kill all around it.For only $1000 dollars that's a very scary thought.


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    #3
    ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI
    Closed Accounts Posts: 760 ✭✭✭ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI


    Gordon wrote: »
    ...or at least giving an understanding of virii in geekspeak...

    Well, I hate being pedantic, but I have to say, one of my pet hates is when people use virii as the plural form of virus, which is unequivocally incorrect.

    http://homepages.tesco.net/J.deBoynePollard/FGA/plural-of-virus.html

    Nice article by the way, I liked the parallels drawn between molecular biology and computer architecture.


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    #4
    KevinVonSpiel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 522 ✭✭✭KevinVonSpiel


    ZWEI_VIER_ZWEI wrote: »
    Well, I hate being pedantic, but I have to say, one of my pet hates is when people use virii as the plural form of virus, which is unequivocally incorrect.

    Well, I hate to learn new things & change old habits... but you're clearly right... Merriam Webster says it ain't virii... Damn thee & thine 'facts'!!!


    My genome is less than a gig'?

    No wonder it cannot run MSWindows.


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