What happens when biology becomes technology? | Christina Agapakis

TL;DR

This content explores the intersections between biology, technology, art, and society, challenging traditional boundaries and envisioning a fleshy future driven by human values.

Transcript

A briefcase full of poop changed my life. Ten years ago, I was a graduate student and I was helping judge a genetic engineering competition for undergrads. There, I met a British artist and designer named Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg. She was wearing the white embroidered polo shirt of the University of Cambridge team and holding a silver briefcase, li... Read More

Key Insights

• 🌈 Synthetic biologists are engineering biology to be technology, pushing the boundaries between what is natural and technological. They aim to make genetic engineering a real engineering discipline.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was the purpose of the genetic engineering competition mentioned in the video?

The purpose of the genetic engineering competition was for undergraduate students to showcase their abilities in engineering bacteria to sense different environmental factors and produce various colored outputs in response.

Q: How did the artist Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg and her collaborator James King utilize the engineered bacteria?

Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg and James King imagined different scenarios for the use of the engineered bacteria. One possibility they proposed was using the bacteria as a living probiotic drink and health monitor. The bacteria could be ingested and would reside in the gut, sensing and responding to different stimuli by producing colored outputs.

Q: What was the turning point for the speaker, and how did it impact their career?

The turning point for the speaker was when they encountered a silver briefcase filled with multicolored engineered turds created by the Cambridge team during the genetic engineering competition. This experience led the speaker to pursue a career as a synthetic biologist and eventually become the creative director at Ginkgo Bioworks, a synthetic biology company.

Q: How does the speaker view biology and technology?

The speaker believes that synthetic biologists blur the boundary between what is considered natural and technological. They view biology as a form of technology that can be programmed and engineered, similar to how software is written for computers. The speaker emphasizes the impact of technology on society and advocates for better understandings and conversations about the future of technology.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• A genetic engineering competition led to the discovery of bacteria capable of producing different colored outputs in response to environmental cues.

• Synthetic biologists aim to bridge the gap between natural and technological by using biology as a form of technology, programming cells and writing DNA like software for computers.

• The intersection of biology and technology challenges traditional notions of what is normal, desirable, and controllable, and raises questions about the future of the body, beauty, awareness, and the way we eat.