The Why? Curve

Creating Life


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Have we just, quietly, passed a key stage in human evolution? Scientists in California say they have created - not adapted - a virus. Artificial intelligence has enabled them to write the genome from scratch, and while a virus isn't, by definition, alive, they say they have the means to go further - to create life. What this could bring is a massive leap forwarded in treating disease, but it could also bring terrible risks - designer babies, insuperable biological weapons. Is this a technology anyone can control? Adrian Woolfson, co-founder of the biotech company Genryo, and author of "On the Future of Species: Authoring Life By Means of Artificial Biological Intelligence" tells Phil and Roger about the astounding opportunities and dangers.  

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The Why? CurveBy Phil Dobbie

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