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Is it possible for us to genetically-engineer a tree so it could grow to humongous sizes (ie. the trunk is 200-400 meters in diameter). I doubt it, but I'd like to make sure. This reminds me of this huge dead tree in Myst III that has layers and layers of forest and ecosystems inside it.

jaeger115 wrote:Is it possible for us to genetically-engineer a tree so it could grow to humongous sizes (ie. the trunk is 200-400 meters in diameter). I doubt it, but I'd like to make sure. This reminds me of this huge dead tree in Myst III that has layers and layers of forest and ecosystems inside it.

It would collapse under its own weight. Mass scales with the third power, load-bearing area scales with the second power. Do the math.

I'm a little lacking in material science and physics since I haven't studied them in over two years (ask Darth Wong for that stuff). But really, Nature shows us what is the largest achievable really.

The tallest are the Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) whereas the biggest in mass are the Giant Sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum). The former can grow to over 90m, the latter can have a mass of 10 blue whales! They are the largest organisms alive today I think.

EDIT: As Mike said, every material has a limit to effectiveness, that's why you don't see many mammals the size of line-dragging mining machines around.

The giant wroshyr trees on Kashyyyk are kilometers tall.

But they're not real, so go fig...

If it makes you happier, if we ever establish colonies in the Moon, your usual trees wil grow to more than five times their size.

Colonel Olrik wrote:If it makes you happier, if we ever establish colonies in the Moon, your usual trees wil grow to more than five times their size.

So long as they hate respiring...

Bah! They don't need this ATP nonsense! Screw the Krebs Cycle and the whole electron chain!

phongn wrote:Bah! They don't need this ATP nonsense! Screw the Krebs Cycle and the whole electron chain!

Jesus Phong, take your pills.

phongn wrote:Bah! They don't need this ATP nonsense! Screw the Krebs Cycle and the whole electron chain!

Question: WTF is an ATP cascade?! I've had it in my head since reading Prey by Crichton on nanotech and I cannae be arsed to look it up.

Question: WTF is an ATP cascade?! I've had it in my head since reading Prey by Crichton on nanotech and I cannae be arsed to look it up.

It has something to do with powering cells. This is all from the top of my head from AP Biology.

This reminds me of this huge dead tree in Myst III that has layers and layers of forest and ecosystems inside it.

That was a neat world, really hard game though, a couple computer mags nicknamed it "Engineering 101".

Jadeite wrote:

This reminds me of this huge dead tree in Myst III that has layers and layers of forest and ecosystems inside it.

That was a neat world, really hard game though, a couple computer mags nicknamed it "Engineering 101".

Edanna was a bitch. Always the path you don't see...

jaeger115 wrote:

Question: WTF is an ATP cascade?! I've had it in my head since reading Prey by Crichton on nanotech and I cannae be arsed to look it up.

It has something to do with powering cells. This is all from the top of my head from AP Biology.

Funnily enough I know what ATP does, I happen to be doing a masters in biology.

I just wondered what it was that they used on these nanomachines, best ask me biochem prof.

Admiral Valdemar wrote:

phongn wrote:Bah! They don't need this ATP nonsense! Screw the Krebs Cycle and the whole electron chain!

Question: WTF is an ATP cascade?! I've had it in my head since reading Prey by Crichton on nanotech and I cannae be arsed to look it up.

Depends on what you're referring to. There's phosphorilization cascades which are used for signalling and such (the phosophorus obviously coming from ATP molecules).

Admiral Valdemar wrote:

jaeger115 wrote:

Question: WTF is an ATP cascade?! I've had it in my head since reading Prey by Crichton on nanotech and I cannae be arsed to look it up.

It has something to do with powering cells. This is all from the top of my head from AP Biology.

Funnily enough I know what ATP does, I happen to be doing a masters in biology.

I just wondered what it was that they used on these nanomachines, best ask me biochem prof.

Maybe Crichton was trying to use ATP to power nanomachines or something like that.

phongn wrote:

Admiral Valdemar wrote:

jaeger115 wrote: It has something to do with powering cells. This is all from the top of my head from AP Biology.

Funnily enough I know what ATP does, I happen to be doing a masters in biology.

I just wondered what it was that they used on these nanomachines, best ask me biochem prof.

Maybe Crichton was trying to use ATP to power nanomachines or something like that.

That's what I thought, but it didn't sound like it, I haven't got the book with me but it sounded more like a probe of some sort, almost like the anti-codon module on a tRNA molecule.

The latter machines used Piezo solar cells since the things were meant to be perfect stealthy and mobile military and medical cameras.