From PBS - How hackers transform biology into building - TopicsExpress

From PBS - How hackers transform biology into building material But biohacking has plenty of detractors, critics who warn that unregulated biology poses dangers to the environment and to humans. One of those skeptics is Dana Perls, who is an activist with Friends of the Earth. DANA PERLS, Friends of the Earth: Do we really think that reprogramming life in garages is not going to encounter some sort of mistakes, some sort of problem? This has to be taken really seriously. We’re not talking about people who are entirely trained. SPENCER MICHELS: Perls says the field of biohacking is too new to be allowed free rein. DANA PERLS: If and when these organisms escape into the environment, we won’t know how to recall them or clean them up. This is a very new field of technology about which we know very little. It’s unregulated. It’s virtually unassessed. And we need to be sure that we have national, international regulation, safety assessments, and safety precautions. More here: pbs.org/newshour/bb/hackers-breach-biology-transform-life-building-material/