Cave Johnson's Combustible Lemons

[J0hnsmine]

Could this be possible to grow with genetic modification?

[kahlzun]

yes. Would they still be lemons, or even edible?

Doubtful.

There are many inflammable plants in nature, take the turpentine bush for instance, of which there are several varieties.

Would not want to eat it though.

[drakesdoom]

Their is already a strain of orange that contains THC and will get you high if you eat it.

[OtherDalfite]

You do realize that modifying something that drastically isn't just sticking it into a machine and turning the "Explosive?" button to yes, right? If you somehow were able to turn a lemon into that, it would look as well as be composed of nothing like a real lemon. Honestly, this should be common sense.

[SunJumper]

You do realize that modifying something that drastically isn't just sticking it into a machine and turning the "Explosive?" button to yes, right? If you somehow were able to turn a lemon into that, it would look as well as be composed of nothing like a real lemon. Honestly, this should be common sense.

You could probably engineer a lemon that is explosive, but looks like a lemon. Bonus points if it tastes like one, but anyone who finds out will probably not know for long.

[OtherDalfite]

You could probably engineer a lemon that is explosive, but looks like a lemon. Bonus points if it tastes like one, but anyone who finds out will probably not know for long.

No, you couldn't. Engineering the lemons that we all know into some sort of explosive, is not currently possible. I doubt it will ever be. I can't believe that some people think that just because something happened in a video game, that it can happen in real life as well.

[Endeavour]

No, you couldn't. Engineering the lemons that we all know into some sort of explosive, is not currently possible. I doubt it will ever be. I can't believe that some people think that just because something happened in a video game, that it can happen in real life as well.

If you want to help someone understand something, start with respect and a little courtesy. People don't usually like being insulted.

[OtherDalfite]

If you want to help someone understand something, start with respect and a little courtesy. People don't usually like being insulted.

The thing is, is that it's not hard to understand. A thread really wasn't needed for this. I'm sure this discussion has come up elsewhere on the internet, where people who actually know about genetic engineering can answer this question.

[Leonov]

No, you couldn't. Engineering the lemons that we all know into some sort of explosive, is not currently possible. I doubt it will ever be. I can't believe that some people think that just because something happened in a video game, that it can happen in real life as well.

Well, If you think about gene manipulation, a lab could take the sequence that is prevelant in the Hura crepitans which causes Explosive dehiscence.

This in theory could yeild "explosive lemons".

Before we get a bunch of Non-Practicing Biology Majors that claim "Genetically Modified/Engineered Organisms are impossible" Please remember we do have BT Corn. This Corn internally produces BT insecticide.

Ignorance is not bliss. Look up a little company called Monsanto, they do a bunch of work in the GE world.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Leonov

[OtherDalfite]

Well, If you think about gene manipulation, a lab could take the sequence that is prevelant in the Hura crepitans which causes Explosive dehiscence.

This in theory could yeild "explosive lemons".

Before we get a bunch of Non-Practicing Biology Majors that claim "Genetically Modified/Engineered Organisms are impossible" Please remember we do have BT Corn. This Corn internally produces BT insecticide.

Ignorance is not bliss. Look up a little company called Monsanto, they do a bunch of work in the GE world.

I'm not trying to say in anyway that ignorance is bliss. I'm thinking about the practility of it and the actual likeliness of such a thing happening. And about BT Corn. That stuff wasn't made over night. It wasn't as simple as flipping a switch.

[Leonov]

I'm not trying to say in anyway that ignorance is bliss. I'm thinking about the practility of it and the actual likeliness of such a thing happening. And about BT Corn. That stuff wasn't made over night. It wasn't as simple as flipping a switch.

I wasnt insinuating that it was as simple as "flipping a switch".

Who is seriously considering the practicality of recreating an item from a video game in real life?

Edited May 20, 2013 by Leonov

[Holo]

Who is seriously considering the practicality of recreating an item from a video game in real life?

In a Video Game ≠ Implausible or Impossible

[OtherDalfite]

I wasnt insinuating that it was as simple as "flipping a switch".

Who is seriously considering the practicality of recreating an item from a video game in real life?

You may not be implying that it's as simple as flipping a switch. More like snapping a lego to another, and it functioning perfectly. What happens if whatever motive is given to the plant to make it grow some kind of explosive chemical kills it? Not really sure what makes you believe that growing a plant that can literally explode and yield the force of a grenade is remotely possible.

[ROFLCopter64bit]

In a Video Game ≠ Implausible or Impossible

I bet 20$ the first proper AI will be like GLaDOS

Anyway, you would be able to create combustible lemons by changing the chemicals inside a lemon, but I think that the trigger mechanism would have to come seperatly, until we can actually create an organic material that replicates itself perfectly, so the lemon doesn't explode too quickly or too slowly, or not even at all.

[Leonov]

You may not be implying that it's as simple as flipping a switch. More like snapping a lego to another, and it functioning perfectly. What happens if whatever motive is given to the plant to make it grow some kind of explosive chemical kills it? Not really sure what makes you believe that growing a plant that can literally explode and yield the force of a grenade is remotely possible.

I was hoping you would look up the Hura crepitans (also known as the Sandbox Tree).

It has seed pods that "Explode" which causes their seeds to be launched outwards around speeds near 70 m/s.

Now does this have the Explosive force of a grenade? Of course not. Something like that that is not possible, dont be facetious.

Maybe after many years of research and billions of dollars there could be an "Exploding Lemon" based upon the same prinicples that the Hura crepitans seed pod utilises for seed dispersal.

[OtherDalfite]

I was hoping you would look up the Hura crepitans (also known as the Sandbox Tree).

Now does this have the Explosive force of a grenade? Of course not. Something like that that is not possible, dont be facetious.

Well then, I guess we're done here, seeing as how we've ruled out the possibility of there ever being an exploding lemon that deals the force of a regular grenade.

[MBobrik]

Combustible lemons ? The stuff in lemon peel is quite flammable. just engineer the fruit to synthetize it inside instead of normal juice. Explosive fruit ? not very likely because explosives need oxidizer and oxidizers are usually very caustic/toxic inside of a cell full of reductive compounds like amino acids and nucleic acids.

[KinkyFerrets]

If we can produce corn which internally produces pesticide, I see no reason that internal C3H5(ONO2)3 formulation is impossible. Would the breed rapidly destroy itself? Probably. But hey, progress for the sake of progress right?

[stupid_chris]

Let's not forget that "combustible" is quite different from "explodable" A combustible lemon would just burn. A lot.

[Thaniel]

I once asked an actual geneticist about the possibility of modifying the genes of a cow to have it produce chocolate milk instead of ordinary milk. Being a nerd in his field as he is, and me asking the question seriously, he pondered for a little while, and gave a proper answer. It went something like this "yes and no. Plants don't have the same type of genes as a cow, but, modifying e milk so that it would look like and taste like chocolate milk by manipulating the protein production could be possible." Ofcourse, there is a chance it would lead to adverse effects.

But, just saying that something is impossible without even a hint at why it would be impossible (I don't confuse impossible with improbable) leads me to thonk that the "impossible"-claimer either says so to make someone prove hm/her/it wrong, by starting a crusade to actualy do it, hence, in a couple of decades, a new breed of exploding or violently combustible lemons hits the market. Or, the impossible-claimer simply doesn't know enough about the topic at hand, but since it contradicts with what that persons world-view wich doesn't include exploding lemons.

I'm not claiming that I know how it could be done, or even if. But, without atleast a plausible explanation of why it can't be done, I'm not accepting "impossible"as an answer.

And considering what diverse reactions/functions we can find in both the animal and plant world, I don't see why it couldn't be done.

Initialy, it seems like the more ordinary oxidizer/amonia combinations are unstable over the time a fruit would need to grow. And if the ignition device where to be supplied separately, the only thng a lemon would need is naturaly occurences of chemical and/or biological explosive material.

One possibility could be counting on a symbiosos with another plant or fungi, wich then would provide the isolation between the two (or more) reactants. The materials could also require intense heat or pressure to be of any explosive use. Or, one of the compounds could be bound in a molecule with something else tha first have to be broken up, by say intense heat. Somethng thay would not occur naturaly in the fruits natural habitat.

[Extemporary]

It seems one of the limiting factors on how plausible such a lemon would be is whether it is to be edible as well as combustible. Returning to the source of the idea, Cave Johnson says regarding life's lemons, "Don't make lemonade!"

There are three possible interpretations that I see from that statement:

1. The possibility of making non-toxic lemonade from these lemons exists, but he rejects it for defiance's sake.

2. The possibility of a stable, albeit toxic, lemonade exists, but he rejects it for defiance's sake.

3. He was referring to lemons in general, and the combustible variety only occurred to him after that statement had been made. He rejects normal lemonade for defiance's sake.

I consider the third possibility most likely, given the context with which the combustible lemons are then introduced. It is never clarified if these new lemons must be edible. Therefore, if a combustible plant is developed that is genetically very similar to a lemon, but not edible, it still fills the criteria set out by the original proposal.