Biotechnology

If the biotech industry has its way, ordering a hamburger might soon sound something like this: “one charbroiled cloned-beef patty, with genetically modified cheese, lab-grown bacon and vitamin-C-fortified lettuce, on a protein-spiked bun.” The burger of the future is delicious, nutritious and contains more engineering than a stealth bomber.

Soldiers will control battlesuits using their own nerve impulses, thanks to artificially grown human nervous systems. Cybering lovers could control sex toys over the net and "feel" when they're touched, using the same biotechnology.

What's the most significant impact of genetics in our lives? Criminal justice, says Philip Reilly, a geneticist-attorney and former Interleukin CEO. Talking at the Jackson Labs today, he called forensic DNA "the single biggest change in the history of evidence in the last 100 years."

After reading the day's first post on DNA-based crime solving, synthetic biology extraordinaire Drew Endy asked, "What happens when I can synthesize new fragments of DNA to spoof the identity of another person?"