How to create life from scratch, as explained by SciAm editor David Biello
Jargon is easy; metaphors are tough -- try describing synthetic biology to folks who have never heard of it. One of our editors gives it his best shot in fourth episode of the Instant Egghead segment of Scientific American's new video podcast. (iTunes, RSS)
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3 Comments
Add CommentI understood it. Synthetic biology is the creation of artificial life
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis video really only highlights one narrow aspect of Synthetic Biology ("booting up new genomes"). The real nuts and bolts of synth bio are in standardizing and simplifying the process of writing DNA. Much like how we simplified the process of writing computer code over the last few decades.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe videos below are from the International Genetically Engineered Machines Competition (iGEM), and give a much better picture of what synth bio is all about.
[url http://parts.mit.edu/igem07/index.php/Podcasts][/url]
This one is called "defining synthetic biology":
[url http://s9.video.blip.tv/1250000488153/IgemLabs-iGEMExplainer01DrewEndyDefiningSyntheticBiology399.mov][/url]
Fair points. Synthesizing and writing a working DNA code will be the core achievement of synthetic biology, but let's not forget the end result. And certainly we're nowhere near designing new lifeforms from scratch, from a DNA, metabolic or even cell wall perspective.
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