How were these scientists able to create new lifeforms?
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00:00 You've seen it in the movies and read about it in books,
00:08 but now the idea of creating artificial life in a laboratory is becoming a reality.
00:15 In 2010, a team of scientists successfully built a synthetic cell from scratch.
00:21 Some experts praised the experiment as a defining moment in the history of biology,
00:26 while others were terrified of its implications.
00:29 How were these scientists able to create new lifeforms?
00:33 What are the potential benefits of their creation?
00:36 And what happens if these lifeforms are unleashed beyond the laboratory?
00:41 This is WHAT IF, and here's what would happen if we let synthetic lifeforms loose.
00:47 This brand new organism, affectionately known as "Synthia,"
00:50 was created by synthesizing a DNA code and injecting it into a single bacteria cell.
00:56 At their best, synthetic lifeforms could be used to create biofuels and medicines.
01:03 But in the wrong hands, they could be used to create the most powerful bioweapons imaginable.
01:08 Are the benefits really worth the risks?
01:13 Most lifeforms are created as a result of Darwinian evolution,
01:17 but Synthia's birth was a much more calculated process.
01:21 Dr. Craig Venter, a billionaire biologist apparently bored with his other entrepreneurial efforts,
01:27 decided he'd try his hand at playing God instead.
01:30 He started by reading the DNA of Mycoplasma mycoides,
01:33 a bacterial species that infects goats, and recreated it piece by piece.
01:38 Then, he stitched those pieces together and inserted them into the bacteria of a different species.
01:45 This created a brand new, completely artificial bacteria that grew and multiplied for generations.
01:51 So what's the point of it all?
01:53 Are we just messing around with nature because we can?
01:56 Some people think so, but Dr. Venter always had grand aspirations
02:00 to use this technology for the good of humanity.
02:03 In fact, since his initial proof of concept,
02:06 the U.S. Department of Energy has already started working on modifying organisms
02:11 such as yeast and E. coli to produce renewable biofuels.
02:15 Some researchers have even been able to modify cells in diabetic mice
02:19 to monitor blood sugar levels and secrete insulin accordingly.
02:23 In years to come, this technology could extend to humans
02:26 and make life much easier for Type 1 diabetics.
02:29 The potential is gigantic, but so are the dangers that come with it.
02:34 These synthetic lifeforms do wonders in the lab,
02:37 but what happens if they're let loose into the wild?
02:40 One fear is that these artificial microbes could threaten the natural balance of ecosystems
02:45 because they don't obey the rules of the natural world.
02:48 They could wipe out entire plant crops and send the farming industry into a tailspin.
02:53 Or what if the technology got into the wrong hands?
02:56 Terrorists could use it to design a custom virus to unleash on populations of their choice,
03:02 or create a biological weapon our world's not ready for.
03:05 While these scenarios may sound like the stuff of science fiction,
03:09 we should consider them because they expose the bigger issue
03:12 that there aren't clearly defined regulations for synthetic biology.
03:17 Before we go investing in all the potential benefits of this technology,
03:21 maybe we should stop and put systems in place to make sure it doesn't work against us.
03:26 With the right oversight, maybe one day we'll be able to use this technology
03:30 to create animals or people from scratch.
03:33 But that's a topic for another WHAT IF.
03:36 [Music]