From Edge:
I have called this lecture ‘A DNA-Driven World’, because I believe that the future of our society relies at least in part on our understanding of biology and the molecules of life – DNA. Every era is defined by its technologies. The last century could be termed the nuclear age, and I propose that the century ahead will be fundamentally shaped by advances in biology and my field of genomics, which is the study of the complete genetic make-up of a species. Our planet is facing almost insurmountable problems, problems that governments on their own clearly can’t fix. In order to survive, we need a scientifically literate society willing and able to embrace change – because our ability to provide life’s essentials of food, water, shelter and energy for an expanding human population will require major advances in science and technology.
In this lecture I will argue that the future of life depends not only in our ability to understand and use DNA, but also, perhaps in creating new synthetic life forms, that is, life which is forged not by Darwinian evolution but created by human intelligence. To some this may be troubling, but part of the problem we face with scientific advancement, is the fear of the unknown – fear that often leads to rejection.
More here.
