Synthetic Biology : Discovery Tech : Discovery Channel

Wide Angle: Synthetic Biology

Discovery Tech explores artificial life and its meanings, including what Charles Darwin might have thought.

Charles Darwin

Darwin taught the world something important about how biological species evolve. Now synthetic biologies are taking evolution a step farther by engineering novel biological functions and systems.

Synthetic biologists engineer artificial, microbial life. Their work could lead to life-saving drugs and new kinds of fuel. Find out how by diving into our Wide Angle on synthetic biology.

News: Mutating HIV To Death
Scientists are testing a new drug that actually speeds up HIV's mutation in the hope that the deadly virus will mutate itself to death.

News: Venter Lab Makes Progress on Artificial Life
Scientists have discovered a more efficient way of building a synthetic genome that could one day enable them to create artificial life, according to a study.

My Take: Do Synthetic Biologists Play God?
In the lab, researchers are creating artificial, microbial life. Is that playing God? And, if so, is it wrong? Bioethicist Arthur Caplan gives us his take.

Slide Show: What Would You Tell Darwin?
Synthetic biologists engineer artificial, microbial life. Their work could lead to life-saving drugs and new kinds of fuel. But how would the scientists explain synthetic biology to Darwin? We asked 15 of them; here's what they said.

Blog: Super Duper Sustantainable Stuff Will Synthetic Bio Save the Planet?
Caltech chemical engineering and biochemistry professor Frances Arnold makes the case that it can.

Video: Scientists Turn Wood Into Fuel
By chemically modifying certain molecules, researchers can turn organic waste -- such as that from corn harvests and lumberyards -- into synthetic gas. See the video.

Top 10: Genetically Modified Foods
Some say genetically engineered plants wreak havoc with human health and nature. Others argue that engineered crops reduce global food shortages, insidious pests, weeds and extreme weather.

Got something to say? E-mail your questions, comments and concerns to discoverytech@discovery.com.

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Wide Angle: Synthetic Biology

Charles Darwin

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