4 ms·
Quite frightening, really, given CRISPR. It's like discussing optimal ways to build a thermonuclear bomb in your kitchen casually in an open, public forum.
by blazespin 7y ago
Quite frightening, really, given CRISPR. It's like discussing optimal ways to build a thermonuclear bomb in your kitchen casually in an open, public forum.
- ars 7y agoAny lab capable of building a dangerous virus already had that capability before this open info. Your thermonuclear bomb example was pretty apt: It's actually pretty easy to find out how, it's hard to actually do it.
- blazespin 7y agoHard to do in a reliable, controlled manner, yes. It's surprisingly easy however to do it messily. To push the analogy further, think about the early atomic piles. Also note that nuclear requires a certain amount of collection of radioactive material, kind of like gold but much more expensive. Viruses can just be drawn from anyone's blood stream / mucus. People don't quite realize the catastrophic risk our over educated society can be as we learn more and more about the building blocks of our universe, intelligence, organic makeup or otherwise. Vernor Vinge discusses it a bit in his latest novels. What is the scientific requirement that the universe can not be easily meddled with by highly intelligent / knowledgeable agents? The human being did not evolve under circumstances where we had such capability. Likely our best bet is to spread out to different planets where there would at least be some buffer.
- kfrzcode 7y agoLike a dystopian, civilization-ending Dunning-Kruger effect.
- anonymfus 7y agoWhy CRISPR is relevant here? I thought that synthesizing long DNA/RNA sequences (29903 base pairs here) was a practical limitation for creating bioweapons at home.
- blazespin 7y agoLink? I am only aware of a rapidly advancing field where techniques are being optimized and getting easier and easier to perform.