Opinion: The Dark Side of Science

Nyhed

Scientists are responsible for the foreseeable consequences of their research—good and bad.

Within the burgeoning field of synthetic biology, teams of biologists and engineers are making great strides in understanding the cell and its functioning.

However, there is more that should be discussed than the triumphs. There are also the dark purposes to which science (and synthetic biology in particular) can be put. Worries range from the development of pathogenic bioweapons to the potential contamination of native gene pools in our environment. The question is, are scientists responsible for the potentially negative impacts of their work?