dan_dares

dan_dares t1_iyd4m3c wrote

It's via diffusion, the deoxygenated blood has a higher affinity for the oxygen and the haemoglobin will bind to the oxygen easily.

Diffusion isn't very efficient, hence needing a very high surface area and very thin capillary walls in the alveoli.

The blood travels along enough of this diffusion-optimised path to ensure (in a healthy person) that almost all the blood becomes saturated.

255

dan_dares t1_itpby3b wrote

An asteroid MAY be a problem,

without looking, we don't know.

and without having a plan saved for a rainy day, it's basically planning to fail.

no one is looking to travel to an asteroid, this is about coming up with a really good plan and look out for something that might kill millions and harm the earths ecosystems (i'm talking about smaller than planet killers here, which there are many more)

it's also not an exclusive thing.

5

dan_dares t1_it6frrt wrote

Every country on the planet would be pissed at the one who launched that.

everyone who uses GPS in their car, or company that uses GPS time stamps (google for one)

GPS has literally become a mission-critical piece of human life.

(and by GPS i'm referring to all the positioning systems, not just the American system, they would all be wiped out)

Good analogy btw.

1

dan_dares t1_irnl5b7 wrote

Yes, the computer analogy is pretty good, but the proteins can be for signaling, enzymes, or other purposes..

Can the old co-exist with the new? Thats a question i have no idea about (I will be honest)

There are a few reasons why viruses from other species can't infect human cells (or well) generally it's a matter of the virus gaining entry to the cell to hijack cellular machinery (i will admit, it's been a few years since my virology courses) so physically differences at this stage generally prevents entry.

Interestingly there is a line of thought that some poorly adapted viruses can be oncogenic (causing cancers)

To everyone with more knowledge on this, please correct and accept my apologies if I butchered anything!

2

dan_dares t1_irmcp1t wrote

CRISPR is a scalpel, able to excise and introduce new DNA, potentially it's possible to change all the DNA in a mouse cell, but it would be like trying to change a painting with a single hair paintbrush.

Given the number of times you'd need to conduct the protocol, you'd need to culture the cell line for quite a while, to be honest I think that would be a limiting factor.

My wife has actually used CRISPR on mouse lines for genetic studies but they have always been for small knock-ins and knock-outs.

EDIT: Sorry, missed a part to expand on..

If we presume that you could wave a wand and change the DNA using CRISPR all at once, you would have a situation where proteins being created would be different from the existing proteins, not sure what the ramifications of this would be, I shall ask my better half.

Gut feel is there is a possibility that the cell might undergo apoptosis during the change over, for a few reasons..

14