When advanced biotechnology graduates from therapy to invention. These are organisms—bacteria, plants, animals—whose DNA has been intentionally written or heavily edited to perform specific functions not found in nature. Think of microbes that digest plastic waste, glowing plants as streetlights, algae that produce jet fuel, or synthetic bacteria with a minimized genome built from the ground up in a lab. It’s playing God with a genetic toolkit, creating living tools, art, or products. The ethical questions are as large as the potential.
Example: "They didn't just modify a crop; they created a designer lifeform—a moss that produces spider silk proteins, growing bulletproof vests in a field and making traditional manufacturing look medieval." Designer Lifeforms
by Dumuabzu January 29, 2026
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