Of Steam and Genes
In the 80s a new science fiction literary genre emerged – cyberpunk. Cyberpunk is fiction which is high tech but low life, taking the classic dystopian themes of science fiction in a very grungy direction. This movement spawned a related social movement of those who enjoyed and engaged with the cultures so important in these […]
Drew Endy defines Synthetic Biology
Drew Endy is an important figure in the world of synthetic biology, being one of the first influential pioneers in the field. In the short informal video below he gives a excellent concise description of what synthetic biology is in his opinion. Check it out after the break.
Slime Mould Convergently Designs Tokyo’s Rail Network
In a stunning display of self-organisation, a slime mould has managed to conversantly design the tokyo rail network – to a fairly accurate degree too. This feat was accomplished through the design of a clever tokyo model for the slime mould to grow on. Mountains (which are bad for trains) were simulated by lights (which […]
George Church on Personal Genomics
George Church is a significant researcher in the fields of genetics and synthetic biology. In this article from 2010, his background and some of his opinions and goals are expressed. Church is closely involved with the Personalised Genome Project which seeks to push forward personalised genetics and thus medical technology. This project has a number of […]
The Rothamsted GM Wheat Story
The picture above comes from anti-GM protests in the UK in 1999. More than 10 years later there are still anti-GM protests, but it seems like the political landscape has changed. Over the past month a large controversial protest called “Take The Flour Back” has been making headlines with its goal of destroying an open-field […]
