Cargando…

Regenesis: how synthetic biology will reinvent nature and ourselves

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...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Church, George M, Regis, Edward
Lenguaje:eng
Publicado: Basic Books 2012
Materias:
Acceso en línea:http://cds.cern.ch/record/1539967
_version_ 1780929883033042944
author Church, George M
Regis, Edward
author_facet Church, George M
Regis, Edward
author_sort Church, George M
collection CERN
description 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 explorethe 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.
id cern-1539967
institution Organización Europea para la Investigación Nuclear
language eng
publishDate 2012
publisher Basic Books
record_format invenio
spelling cern-15399672021-04-21T22:45:06Zhttp://cds.cern.ch/record/1539967engChurch, George MRegis, EdwardRegenesis: how synthetic biology will reinvent nature and ourselvesOther SubjectsImagine 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 explorethe 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.Basic Booksoai:cds.cern.ch:15399672012
spellingShingle Other Subjects
Church, George M
Regis, Edward
Regenesis: how synthetic biology will reinvent nature and ourselves
title Regenesis: how synthetic biology will reinvent nature and ourselves
title_full Regenesis: how synthetic biology will reinvent nature and ourselves
title_fullStr Regenesis: how synthetic biology will reinvent nature and ourselves
title_full_unstemmed Regenesis: how synthetic biology will reinvent nature and ourselves
title_short Regenesis: how synthetic biology will reinvent nature and ourselves
title_sort regenesis: how synthetic biology will reinvent nature and ourselves
topic Other Subjects
url http://cds.cern.ch/record/1539967
work_keys_str_mv AT churchgeorgem regenesishowsyntheticbiologywillreinventnatureandourselves
AT regisedward regenesishowsyntheticbiologywillreinventnatureandourselves