

Garage Biohacking - erik
http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2010/03/dyi_garage_biot.php

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AngryParsley
There are also risks to this technology becoming cheaper. Genomes for lethal
viruses are available for free online. Here are some smallpox strains:
<http://www.poxvirus.org/viruses.asp?taxnode_id=1027> Here's Zaire Ebolavirus:
[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/EU224440.1?ordinalpos=1&...](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/EU224440.1?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Sequence.Sequence_ResultsPanel.Sequence_RVDocSum)

The technology to get from a genome to a virus is expensive today, but it's
getting cheaper quickly. If costs continue to decrease, bioweapons will be
affordable to individuals instead of only nations.

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kiba
Is there a mean to combat the threat of biological warfare since we cannot
stop the proliferation of this technology?

Perhaps, people will starts to inject themselves all manners of viruses and
bacterias designed to combat totally unknown threats?

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AngryParsley
I'd bet good money that biotech is similar to the majority of technologies:
offense beats defense. A thousand things have to work just right for a human
being to stay alive. Only one thing needs to go wrong for them to die.

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davidw
This is really fascinating. My wife works doing "biotech" research in the
university (she's looking for something new, though, if anyone's got any
leads), and I would really not have thought this sort of thing possible, given
all the requirements for fancy, expensive equipment. Also, as much as we
shouldn't give in to paranoia, there are some safety risks involved that are
much more significant than 'bad posture' that might afflict a programmer
sitting in a chair too much.

More than anything, I'm constantly amazed at just how _low_ capital
requirements are in the programming field. You can do innovative stuff with
just an ordinary computer. How cool is that?

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billswift
The most expensive equipment is needed for flexibility and for general
research, for narrowly focused problems you need much less, and less capable,
equipment.

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alexbiz
This is great. Reminds me of the recent article in nature questioning whether
or not scientists need a PhD:
[http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v464/n7285/full/464007a...](http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v464/n7285/full/464007a.html)

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zitterbewegung
I really don't think scientists need a PhD but it probably helps a great deal
when doing independent research

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rick_2047
Seconded, you need a PhD to get funding. Actually the chief purpose of PhD(or
any other type of degree) now (in my views, anyway) is just to put you on the
map. So you can prove to people that you can do what you already did. Gone are
the days when people actually did a PhD or degree courses to learn something
new. Most of the times, specially in undergraduate studies, people could as
well study on there own and just pay the fees to enjoy the university culture.

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Jun8
I'm very interested in setting up a small workspace myself and playing around,
but being a resident alien in the US I think I'll encounter the "guys in bio-
hazard suits appearing with guns drawn" phenomenon sooner or later.

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billswift
Carlson's post that the link quotes is here
[http://www.synthesis.cc/2010/03/garage-biology-in-silicon-
va...](http://www.synthesis.cc/2010/03/garage-biology-in-silicon-valley.html)

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Tichy
"In ﬁve to ten years that amount should pay for much larger constructs,
perhaps a brand-new viral or microbial genome."

I first read that as "brand new viral or microbioal game". Now there is
something to think about, programming biological games with genes ("spread the
flu" doesn't count).

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jbeluch
For anyone in the NYC area, Rob Carlson will be speaking at NYCR this Saturday
(Mar 13).

[http://www.nycresistor.com/2010/03/10/reminder-
bioengineerin...](http://www.nycresistor.com/2010/03/10/reminder-
bioengineering-oracle-at-nycr-this-saturday/)

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billswift
Because of the ignorant, media-fueled misuse of "hacker", I have begun using
the older term "tinker" again. As did Ed Felten for his well-established blog
<http://www.freedom-to-tinker.com/> .

