Bioethics

Creation of New Living Organism

Scientists announced that they are able to create a new living organism with only 300 genes.

This technology could lead to custom microbes that have myriad practical and commercial implications, such as, to clean up toxic messes or to create renewable energy by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen.

However, would scientists create also some harmful organisms? For example, would they be able to create a "super-virus" which can infect most of the present living organisms including humans; and there is no drug to stop it?

What is New Living Organism

Do you know what is "new living organism"?

A new living organism is any animal, plant or microbe that is not currently present in the Earth.

If you are a scientist, what will your design for a new living organism?

Examples of New Living Organism

Design a bacterium that could eat radioactive waste.

Design a microbe that could be used to pump out useful chemicals.

Design a bacterium that could produce insulin for humans.

Case : Build a Rubbish-Removal Microbe

Suppose you are tired of cleaning the house everyday. Now scientists are able to build a rubbish-removal microbe to clean up all the dirt for you. Do you like this rubbish-removal microbe?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creation of New Living Organism

Pros	Cons
Possibility of building novel organisms desinged for any specific tasks such as eating radioactive waste or oil spills	We may not be satisfied with the qualities of the new living organisms
Allowing large scale production of drugs for medical use through the design of new living organisms	The new living organisms may be out of human's control
Enable scientists to know more about creation or evolution through the process of creating new living organisms	Companies may begin to create their own genesis for commercial use
New living organisms can replace those existing "non"-functional organisms or resources in our ecosystem	Armies may create new living organisms as biological weapons
	Distinction of existing organisms with the introduction of new living organisms

 

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