Just note that DNA itself is code and completely useless without an interpreter/... | Hacker News

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achille on Nov 27, 2014 | parent | context | favorite | on: DNA Can Survive Reentry from Space

Just note that DNA itself is code and completely useless without an interpreter/compiler. The DNA is just a storage mechanism, the true complexity relies on the cell.

See: http://ds9a.nl/amazing-dna/

If we lost all cells but had DNA, we could not do anything with it. The same way that source code is useless if you don't have a compiler.

SapphireSun on Nov 27, 2014 [–]

Too bad they didn't test RNA... self replicating RNA doesn't need a compiler. ;)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viroid (possible relics from the theoretical RNA world still around today)

lambdaphage on Nov 27, 2014 | [–]

RNA is highly unstable.

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