As an avid proponent of transhumanism, I am quite glad to see something on the subject here on FA.

I do feel inclined to point out some flaws in this logic:
-Not all of our skin would be exposed to sunlight, since it's unidirectional.
-And we wear clothes.
-As of current, most humans in developed nations experience an excess of metabolic energy than a shortage.

As a concept it certainly is amusing, as is the idea of people with more showy plant-like traits like flowers growing off of them. It may be something to look into if our societal energy needs begin to reach into the chemical energy of our metabolism. If we ever make computers powered by blood sugar then we very may well need this to ensure a sufficient power supply without having to eat a whole buffet every day.

I dont think its necessery to have all the skin exposed all of the time, since photosynthetic skin proved to be surprisingly effective. I should revise the calculations sometime, though correcting some of the assumptions we did. It might be a problem in more nordic places to get enough sunlight for example.

Computers pwered by blood sugar was an interesting idea, though I cant help but picture vampiric computers (instead of microsoft sam, a bela lugosi impression...)

This would also demand that the subject stay outdoors and so on and so forth.

Wait, already proved to be? Where was this? I want to see it. Even if it's not practical or necessary at this time it's still pretty cool imo.

And lol at vampire computer. Hopefully if/when it is designed people are smart enough to design it with safeguards and have everything run at practical (and healthy) levels so that people don't internet themselves to an unhealthy low body weight. But hey, wouldn't that be awesome if you could recharge your phone from your body fat? Or having a computer on your person (literally) that was always powered for as long as you had access to square meals.

Well, what I mean is that assuming the same chloroplast efficiency as green algae (7,7%), our entire skin area would produce 39 times more kcal of energy than is necessery to sustain a human.

That's what we saw in the calculations above, which are admittedly crude. But that's enough of a surplus that I think that it could cover the loss of efficiency that comes from having an extremly inconvenient shape for a plant and a tendency to enjoy wearing clothes.

Of course, I have no idea how effective the human skin would actually be, since this is purely speculative.

I worded things a little clumpsily, since there are too many "if"s and assumptions that need to be made before one could say anything for sure.

But if there's one thing to take away from his is how much energy there is from the sun. Chloroplasts are actually surprisingly ineffective when it comes to how much solar energy it can use, yet that's more than enough to get the jobs done. The "plant-man" are basically just a colorful metaphor (green to be precise) for the potential solar energy has.

>>...so that people don't internet themselves to an unhealthy low body weight

Yeah, that was my mental image, me litterary wasting away i front of the computer. Internet addiction is unehealthy enough as it is. But at least it'd be the end of the steoertype of the fat programming geek.

PASS ME THE FROSTED FLAKES AND AIM THE SUN-LAMP AT ME. I NEED TO INTERNET.

It is very possible.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQgWNYSg7XE

It's closer than you think.

I call zombie bullshit on that video. That conspiracy theory is right on par with saying doctors are only practicing to exert control over the health of underlings for a twisted nihilistic agenda to oppress slaves whom they jokingly refer to as 'patients'.

I see no reason at all for any of the dystopian outcomes predicted by the video. Upcoming technology is much more likely to make things more plentiful for everyone. And even if it is costly - what benefit would the elitemonsters have by denying access to the rest of the population? I don't buy the message of the video at all.

Also, it has absolutely nothing to do with human photosynthesis.

No. But it has to do with trans-humanism. Technology can go either way. It can be used to make things more plentiful or oppress. That outcome depends on the mindset of the individuals in a society and that depends on how well informed you are.

Okay, so they're tangentially related - but how informed are you on what transhumanism is and the goals of the movement? I'm currently studying at a university with the eventual goal of getting a PhD as closely related to biomedical applications of nanotechnology and I am an avid proponent and enthusiast of transhumanism, so I would like to consider myself decently well-informed. Last time I checked, there was nothing in the mindset about power plays, making the technology limited or exclusive by socioeconomic class. I, for one, am in this to make nice and happy for everyone.

I work in a laboratory with human embryonic stem cells and siRNA knockdown. I am an advocate of responsible use of technology. We are both in the low section of the pyramid. What happens is that if you or me come up with a useful application for any of these technologies, a University or private institution will patent it and then people with special clearances will continue the development for other purposes. This is called compartmentalization. you never get to see what is being done to your nanotech concept down the road. I'm not paranoid, I just think in all the ramifications and implications.

I commend your work, but I still think the video that you posted is irrational in the fear that it presents. I too am an advocate for responsible use of technology - I don't think anyone is an advocate for irresponsible use. I just see no reason whatsoever for the outcomes that the movie predicted; they wouldn't benefit any sort of elite to keep them exclusive, and I can't fathom why anyone with that kind of technology would want the world captive seeing as the technology would give them everything they could rationally want anyway. That and it doesn't seem to apply to this particular idea of photosynthetic skin.

I never said you were paranoid or meant to imply it; I was criticizing the outcomes speculated in the video, not you. Yes, technology can be used for good or for oppression and villainy, but I fail to see how transhumanism (especially these applications) could be used for wrongdoing, nor can I see a motive given how we foresee it working.

O' the things you'll see!

Plant human hybrid in a cool manga:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion:_Tank_Police

And I remember a short sci-fi story (by Pournelle?) about a couple of scientists in africa who diacovered an algea (YAY algea!) that would symbiote (Is that a correct usage?) with the skin...it was all nice and peace lovin' 'cause they had "Dinner" by gettin' nekkid at sundown and gathered together "Feasting" on the sun set...Cool...

So, for the skin/clothes prob...it'll just take a new paradigm so every one goes naked...the up side? Seing alot of bush...the down side seeing a lot of GREEN bush...O' and all the stupid bush jokes that'll go with it...*Smirk*...

Computers powered by blood sugar...Hmmn...brings to mind the idea of having a porta cap(sp?)( a semi permenant IV hook up used in a lot of chemo patients...) where all yuh hafta do is plug in...since most of us geeks are pumped on heavily sugared drinks and snacks any way it might lead to curing diabetes...*SIGH!*...FREE internet any one?

As for people cybering/texting them selves to starvation/anorexia (O' man whatta new cliche...)...naw, fat is one of the highest calorie types of cells...and the hardest to burn...any system that'd be able to use it would be long term fueled...

But on the real side (Tho' I haven't seen it in years) is the concept of the bio battery since humans are electric machines any way, the implant would generate dc voltage from the body's own chemistry...

(So I googled...)

Not what I was looking for but damned interesting...

http://www.greenmuze.com/climate/en.....o-implant.html

more like what I was thinking but not what I saw before...

http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/b.....-vampire-cells

http://electronics.howstuffworks.co.....d-battery1.htm

And so on...

as for the vid...haven't looked yet (Still in the library...sigh...being poor sucks...gotta go visit a rich friend...) but from Owlsaint's next post I'll guess dystopian nightmare...

So read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_War_Blues

Oddness and weirdness galor but I read the short version/s in play boy and:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangerous_Visions

It has it all: Peacefull loving shared mind alien sea life scooped up to be used as a mind control/zobie-fication for an enslved population in a space rednex hell...sigh...Gotta love it *Smirk!*

It is posible only part of the body need to be photosynthetic, I'm voting giant green afros.

I definently want to check out that manga, as both a sci fi fan and a biogeek I'd really like to see some good science fiction with well-handed biological or ecolgical elements, since so much sci fi leans more towards technology.

The only really cool Biopunk sci-fi I've seen is eXistenZ. Actually, some of the short fiction published in "Futures" section of Nature has dealed with biological themes. I espescially remember one that was about a secret project to terraform mars.

Long time ago I was pondering writing a half assed sci-fi cop show Calling it "Holly Wood And Vine" (call it cheeze) think Don Jonson/miami vice type cop with Part plant parner chick...

She'd have "Ferns" for her hair normally with dandilion bed head, aloa/cactus when shees mad, weeping willow whens she's shy...etc...like I said, Cheeze...but it'd make a half assed decent comic if I could just f'ger how to write it...with out the cheeze spread...sigh...

Giant green afros...AH! Tumble weeds before they croak and become tumbles!