by Andrew Maynard | May 18, 2009 | Emerging Technology, Nanotechnology, Recommended, Synthetic Biology
So you’re looking for a new technology concept—something that will stimulate research funding, make a buck or two, and maybe save the world—at least for another year or so. What do you need? Here’s a quick checklist: Something that’s revolutionary. Evolutionary...
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 11, 2009 | Emerging Technology, Religion, Synthetic Biology
Charles Darwin has a lot to answer for. He saw the world with new eyes, fundamentally changed our understanding of nature, and upset a lot of people in the process. 200 years after his birth, Darwin’s work underpins modern biology. His findings still challenge,...
by Andrew Maynard | Dec 24, 2008 | Civic Science, Engagement, Policy, Public Perception
In 2003, Harvard University’s Sheila Jasanoff wrote about what she termed “Technologies of Humility.” Recognizing the growing disconnect between technological progress and its effective governance, Jasanoff explored new approaches to decision-making that “seek to...