One
of the newest tricks we humans can do is to change the DNA of plants, bacteria
and animals. Reprogrammed bacteria can do useful things for us.
Nitrogen fixing bacteria can be made to live in our crops so they don’t
need nitrogen fertilizer. Bacteria can be made that will eat plastic,
perhaps. Plant or animal material can be made to grow into chairs or
buildings. Would you sit in a chair grown from tooth material?
We
may be looking at a future that is grown, rather than manufactured. What
does this mean for us? Will there be no metal machinery? Can we
grow a car? Or ride on a reprogrammed cheetah?
Are
there limits to the changes that can be made now that we can alter DNA? Or is
the sky the limit? Come and join us in GeekSpeak on Saturday at noon
SLT. Bring some test tubes and your fellow geeks!
IM
Vulcan Viper, who teaches a meditation class every Wednesday in the GeekSpeak
auditorium, if you have ideas for new subjects.
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