Biohackers

topic posted Thu, July 8, 2004 - 2:02 PM by  Unsubscribed
"Experts worry that synthetic biology may spawn biohackers"
www.eet.com/at/news/showArticle.jhtml
slashdot.org/article.pl

Design of molecular machines is analogous to doing system-on-chip work, and hackers 'will not need a detailed knowledge of biochemistry to effectively create complex biochemical machines.' A Harvard genetics professor says, 'Even if we don't have bioterrorists and teen-age biohackers, we will still create things that do not have the properties that we thought they would . . . Even if you are genetically resistant and recently immunized, you will have problems with artificial biological agents.' He also says that there are two big differences between this risk and nuclear weapons: (1) building weapons is harder; (2) synth-bio work is more accident-prone. Oh great, just great: script-kiddies with smallpox . . ."



 
posted by:
Unsubscribed

Recent topics in "New Tech"

Topic Author Replies Last Post
Note from tribe.net: please assign a moderator TOU (Terms o... 0 November 21, 2006
Bio Programming Amigo 1 0 September 10, 2005
Liquid Polymer Could Heal Spinal Cord Injuries Unsubscribed 0 December 3, 2004
Nano Life Unsubscribed 0 November 15, 2004