Monday, 07 Oct 2024
The Wall and the Bridge: Fear and Opportunity in Disruption's Wake
Free-market economists often have noted that there are winners and losers in a competitive capitalist world. The question of how to deal with the difficult real-life consequences faced by the losers, however, has largely been ignored. Populist politicians have tried repeatedly to address the issue by creating wallsâ€"of both the physical and economic kindsâ€"to insulate communities and keep competition at bay. While recognizing the broad...
Thursday, 10 Oct 2024
How to Grow (Almost) Anything: The Use and Future of Synthetic Biology
Synthetic Biology is an emerging field of research where researchers construct new biological systems and redesign existing biological systems. Synthetic biology can change the genetic material in viruses, bacteria, yeasts, plants, or animals to give them useful new characteristics. For example, integrating spider DNA makes a silkworm produce super strong, ultra-lightweight silk. The technology could help address challenges in areas such as...