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Team:Edinburgh/Safety
From 2012.igem.org
As part of our human practices project we are writing a science-fiction blog inspired by technological advances in the world of synthetic biology. We're still working on the layout. You can also view the posts on blogspot. The blog is written from the perspectives of different people in the world of synthetic biology where the petri dish is half full or half empty.
It’s 4 in the morning and I cannot sleep. 4 a.m. and I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong with this world, not for the first time. Well, there’s some good stuff, sure. We’ve fixed the problem of shrinking food supplies for one thing. I actually like the taste of synthetic meat made with seawater, reminds me of home in a weird way. And that sandwich I didn’t finish yesterday.
I smell lemons when I open the fridge. Without all the bacteria integrated in it I’d probably still have to leave the actual fruit inside to keep it fresh. A small price compared to what I paid for the fridge.
I pick the processed rubbish from the MFC, will get it on my way out later. Some stuff even microbes cannot utilise. For now they should get me more than enough energy to make some tea. “NEW, now with lemon flavour probiotic thermostable bacteria!” - sure, as long as it’s got caffeine in it. It’s 4:30 in the morning and it’s raining. It’s always raining. I bet it will rain in hell as well, once I'm there
Entry 1a:
A.
Entry 1b:
I’m so comfortable. ‘These new sheets with Thermobacter™ adjust to maintain your body temperature a cozy 36.7ºC through the night, taking care of your sweet dreams.’ If only I didn’t have to get up and go to work.. but the alarm clock keeps on beeping, the biosensor knows that I haven’t reached the ‘awake’ part of my circadian rhythm quite yet, and the frequency of the noise it makes is keyed to my body, inducing a more and more alert state one beep at a time.
I finally get out of bed, turn the alarm clock off (which now answers to my command) and proceed to take a shower. Yes, a shower. They call me old fashioned for that. I know that my clothing contains enzymes that clean my body throughout the day, but a lukewarm shower in the morning wakes me up better than any cup of that ‘probiotic, thermostable bacterial’ tea (that I drink nonetheless). I think can afford to waste 5 minutes for this outdated ritual, regardless of how valuable ‘time’ has managed to become.
Having a good time looking at all these people stuck in traffic. I heard the trams should get finished sometime next year - not sure how that’s supposed to change things but that's none of my concern. One would think that after a fuel crisis people would get more considerate. But the moment that all the biofuels kicked in for good, everyone got back to good old habits. You can change the world but not the people... ^K.
Entry 2a:
It seems that the new education reform is all over the news. Sounds like the government got bored of all the overeducated people shuffling papers or flipping burgers. Well, at least nowadays most kids are actually aware that a degree has nothing to do with a real job. I switch off the radio and adjust the vision to better suit the fog. I'm not sure why I tuned in at all. With all the media and counter-media showing their own version of reality, it's hard to tell who's lying the most. Everyone has to find their own version of truth and in the end it always turns out that one is better off accepting the lies. Ignorance is bliss, they say - but it is not my thing .
