by Andrew Maynard | Apr 3, 2009 | Emerging Technology, Policy, Rethinking Science & Technology
Part 2 of a series on rethinking science and technology for the 21st century In the previous post in this series I introduced the idea of the three “C’s:” Coupling Communication and Control—three factors that together challenge conventional ideas on how science and...
by Andrew Maynard | Mar 25, 2009 | Communication, Oversight, Policy, Synthetic Biology
A five-minute primer on the promise and challenge of first-generation synthetic biology As an addendum to the previous post on synthetic biology, the following interview from the Wilson Center provides a great overview of what synthetic biology is all about, and the...
by Andrew Maynard | Mar 25, 2009 | Oversight, Policy, Recommended, Synthetic Biology
A new report looks at the challenges of regulating first generation products of synthetic biology. At the J. Craig Venter Institute, scientists are on the verge of creating a living organism from “dead” chemicals, by rebooting a microbe with a new—and completely...
by Andrew Maynard | Feb 23, 2009 | Civic Science, Policy
It’s barely a month since Obama promised to “restore science to its rightful place” and already there has been widespread discussion over what this rightful place might be—spurred on in no small part by science and technology provisions in the recently passed stimulus...
by Andrew Maynard | Feb 1, 2009 | Civic Science, Engagement, Policy
Reading through the various science and technology offerings on the web this morning, I was struck by a conversation between Houston Chronicle reporter Eric Berger and Neal Lane, former National Science Foundation director and science advisor to President Clinton. ...
by Andrew Maynard | Jan 20, 2009 | Civic Science, Nanotechnology, Policy
As Barack Obama takes the oath and is inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States, many are anticipating a new era of socially relevant science and technology. Having run one of the most technologically savvy campaigns in recent times—possibly ever—Obama’s...