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Confronting Risks of Mirror Life
- consumer451 2y agoRelated article, gift link: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/12/science/a-second-tree-of-life-could-wreak-havoc-scientists-warn.html?unlocked_article_code=1.g04.77rC.CIXYyQgNYCYQ&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/12/science/a-second-tree-of-...
- notarealllama 2y agoThanks for sharing this
- notarealllama 2y agoYou beat me to it. This Guardian article kind of summarizes it for the layfolk. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/dec/12/unprecedented-risk-to-life-on-earth-scientists-call-for-halt-on-mirror-life-microbe-research https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/dec/12/unprecedente... Reading the paper itself, they say it will take a decade of research along the lines of the human genome project to fulfill this, and recommend stopping funding. Interesting caveat about public disclosure too. I have two gut reactions. 1. The concept of forbidden technologies, like in Herbert's Dune series. Although pure curiosity and scientific endeavor always pushes the bounds, is there a moral point where we must draw a line? 2. AI powered research means that, even without funding, eventually the genie will be out of the toothpaste tube. Xenobiology is fascinating, and the fact we can make synthetic biology is terrifying.