Team:Edinburgh/Human Practices/Blog

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The world with synthetic biology

Where the Petri dish is half full or half empty

As part of our human practices project we are writing a science-fiction blog inspired by technological advances in the world of synthetic biology. The blog is written from the perspectives of different people in the world of synthetic biology. It can be viewed on BLOGSPOT platform or downloaded as a complete document in a PDF or DOCX format from google drive.

The aim of this blog is to share snippets from the lives of people who live in a world where Synthetic Biology has integrated seamlessly into their everyday lives. We get to see how everyday things such as food, health, fuel, advertising, pets, entertainment and clothing have been revolutionized due to advances in this field. We also get to see the state of The Registry.

Intertwined with these aspects that apply to the general population come the personal stories of the characters involved:
K. is a biopunk working for a beer company and doing some tweaking in his spare time. He complains about a lot of things, but also embraces the perks that personal augmentation can bring. Underneath this seemingly bland life he hides a noble purpose, showing that even the little guys can dream big and, if they try hard enough, their dreams might see the light of reality.

A. started working for the Department of Health and Security after many low-end jobs and is tasked with making sure that synthetic biology is not abused. A bioterrorist attack has already happened in the past, so the government is doing its best to prevent such a tragedy from ever repeating itself. She is trying to fight the good fight while constantly being amused by how the simple things in life have changed.

S. is a child who marvels at all the wonders Synthetic Biology has brought us, and can enjoy these things without having to worry about how it all works underneath the surface and what ramifications its misuse can have.

We follow these stories that culminate in an event that will change the lives of the characters forever - whether it be for better or for worse will be up to you, the reader, to find out...