How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature & Ourselves

[oblique strategies]

Imagine a future in which human beings have become immune to all viruses, in which bacteria can custom-produce everyday items, like a drinking cup, or generate enough electricity to end oil dependency. Building a house would entail no more work than planting a seed in the ground. These scenarios may seem far-fetched, but pioneering geneticist George Church and science writer Ed Regis show that synthetic biology is bringing us ever closer to making such visions a reality.

In Regenesis, Church and Regis explore the possibilities—and perils—of the emerging field of synthetic biology. Synthetic biology, in which living organisms are selectively altered by modifying substantial portions of their genomes, allows for the creation of entirely new species of organisms.

Until now, nature has been the exclusive arbiter of life, death, and evolution; with synthetic biology, we now have the potential to write our own biological future. Indeed, as Church and Regis show, it even enables us to revisit crucial points in the evolution of life and, through synthetic biological techniques, choose different paths from those nature originally took.

Such exploits will involve far more than just microbial tinkering. Full-blown genomic engineering will make possible incredible feats, from resurrecting woolly mammoths and other extinct organisms to creating mirror life forms with a molecular structure the opposite of our own. These technologies—far from the out-of-control nightmare depicted in science fiction—have the power to improve human and animal health, increase our intelligence, enhance our memory, and even extend our life span.

A breathtaking look at the potential of this world-changing technology, Regenesis is nothing less than a guide to the future of life.

__________

Re-engineering biology to make food, fuel, medicine. Stronger, smarter humans. Maybe even bring back the dead. The extinct.

My guest today has written about finding an “extremely adventurous” woman to give birth to a Neanderthal. And he’s not kidding.

[Komodovaran]

Surely the bacteria must produce some sort of polymerous material used in the making of cups, and not the cups themselves?

[8O]

This sounds wonderful. What could possibly go wrong?

[LoopStationZebra]

80 I just want to say how much I loves that dancing monkey.

[beats me]

Advances like this is why we need to use bombs and bullets to keep the population under control.

USA: Supplementing Nature’s Natural Balance.

You’re all welcome.

[steko]

http://www.edge.org/response-detail/23782 <- just one dimension...

WELCOME TO THE HAPPY MONSANTO HELL ...

[steko]

2013 : WHAT *SHOULD* WE BE WORRIED ABOUT? - Edge.org

[dhilsabeck]

This sounds wonderful. What could possibly go wrong?

[JuanSOLO]

if life evolved to create synthetic biology, I would have call it a natural progression of nature, naturally.

[oblique strategies]

[d.reamonn]

[dhilsabeck]

^^^

[JuanSOLO]

[TomViolenz]

in which bacteria can custom-produce everyday items, like a drinking cup,

I think 3D printing is much more practical and likely for this task, though possibly using polymers from bacteria

or generate enough electricity to end oil dependency.

We could do this right now with alternative energy technologies...
Besides even the cheapest polycrystalline solar cells are more efficient in converting solar energy into electricity than a photosynthetic organism could ever be.
As for converting into chemical energy, maybe, but unlikely since there are so many practical difficulties in using living organisms
that most of the theoretical advantages vs. solar or wind will likely dissipate

Building a house would entail no more work than planting a seed in the ground.

Nonsense! Even if it would be possible to get an organism to grow into a house. Be prepared to wait a few decades
As for using biological materials: we are doing that right now, it's called wood...

These scenarios may seem far-fetched, but pioneering geneticist George Church and science writer Ed Regis show that synthetic biology is bringing us ever closer to making such visions a reality.

How fitting that name is, as this is nothing more than a new age, science fiction religion.
Just because any advanced technology might appear magical, doesn't mean we will have magic in the future...

Synthetic biology, in which living organisms are selectively altered by modifying substantial portions of their genomes, allows for the creation of entirely new species of organisms.

Certainly, but to assume we will ever be able to predict reliably how the complex genetic networks will behave is brave.
To predict that this is just around the corner, is ridiculous!

Indeed, as Church and Regis show, it even enables us to revisit crucial points in the evolution of life and, through synthetic biological techniques, choose different paths from those nature originally took.

Without understanding why nature took that other path...
What could go wrong, indeed!

Such exploits will involve far more than just microbial tinkering. Full-blown genomic engineering will make possible incredible feats, from resurrecting woolly mammoths and other extinct organisms

Yeah, that's what was holding human kind back: not being able to eat mammoth steaks or to enslave neanderthals..

to creating mirror life forms with a molecular structure the opposite of our own.

If thats supposed to mean, using the other mirror "images" of amino acids and sugars. We wouldn't even know where to begin and besides what would those organisms eat?

These technologies—far from the out-of-control nightmare depicted in science fiction—

I have the feeling that the out of control nightmare depicted in science fiction is spot on.
These people, including Craig Venter and Ray Kurzweil are exactly like those mad scientist in those 50s SciFi flics. The ideology is already
there for everyone to see, now they only need to succeed....

increase our intelligence, enhance our memory, and even extend our life span.

We are not really close to even understand most of the basic concepts underlying those phenomena. Changing them controllably? Forget it! Not in our life times.

A breathtaking look at the potential of this world-changing technology, Regenesis is nothing less than a guide to the future of life.

They are good at hyping, gotta giv'em that

My guest today has written about finding an “extremely adventurous” woman to give birth to a Neanderthal. And he’s not kidding.

I wish he was...

[TomViolenz]

if life evolved to create synthetic biology, I would have call it a natural progression of nature, naturally.

Kinda, but on a Meta-level.