Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Re-Invent Nature and OurselvesA visionary and controversial romp through synthetic biology, which is one of the most important technologies of our time.
"Eric Topol, Professor of Genomics, The Scripps Research Institute, and author of The Creative Destruction of Medicine“
Literally reinventing nature could provide solutions to intractable problems with the energy supply, global warming, and human health.
In Regenesis, George Church, a pioneer and pre-eminent force in promoting our ability to read DNA sequence, now guides us to the future: writing DNA sequence. Teaming up with Ed Regis, Church provides a mind-bending, tour de force account of how this seventh industrial revolution will take hold, and how ultimately the survival of our planet and the human species may rely upon rewriting the code of life. An enthralling journey into the future—with truly profound implications—that should not be missed.
”Stewart Brand, author of Whole Earth Discipline“
Here you will find the bleeding, screaming, thrilling edges of what is becoming possible with genomic engineering, handsomely framed in the fine-grained fundamentals of molecular biology. It is a combination primer and forecast of what is coming in this ‘century of biology’ from the perspective of a leading pioneer in the science.”
I'm reading this book right now. It's amazing stuff.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Energy and emerging technologies with HUGE potential to solve seemingly intractable problems.
The fine scientists at Joule Unlimited don'lt have to stick with what Nature gave us in the form of cyanobacteria. Really, they are just beginning with that particular bug due to its ability to photosynthesize. And they HAVE modified the genome already to turn off reproduction and devote cellular metabolic processes to the production of alcohol, biodiesel and jet fuel. Yet, the genome Joule is working with at present may not be optimum for the task; perhaps some man-made genome would function more perfectly for the task of producing liquid fuels. No doubt, there will be a search for that genome (or complex molecular factory).
And it scales. The company's target is 25,000 gallons of alcohol or 15,000 gallons of biodiesel per acre per year. You can put all that Texas wasteland to good use.
You can oxidize alcohol or biodiesel in a fuel cell just as easily as you can oxidize hydrocarbons. These liquid fuels will work just great in a Solid Oxide fuel cell.
The point is, these technologies ARE emerging. They ARE worth knowing about for anyone interested in Energy. And they do seem to have great potential at working together at a high-rate of efficiency. What's more, they DO appear to have great technological growth potential.
To answer your question: "What happens when the oil runs out?"
Well, that is very far in the future and by that time we will be making our own oil using specially designed molecular factories most likely. We won't have to pull it out of the ground anymore.