scholarly journals Anabiosis and the Liminal Geographies of De/extinction

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 321-345
Author(s):  
Adam Searle
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Turn Of The Millennium ◽  
Suspended Animation ◽  
Work In Progress ◽  
Iberian Ibex ◽  
Dead State ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Woolly Mammoth

Abstract The spectacle of de-extinction is often forward facing at the interface of science fiction and speculative fact, haunted by extinction’s pasts. Missing from this discourse, however, is a robust theorization of de-extinction in the present. This article presents recent developments in the emergent fields of resurrection biology and liminality to conceptualize the anabiotic (not living nor dead) state of de/extinction. Through two stories, this article explores the epistemological perturbation caused by the suspended animation of genetic material. Contrasting the genomic stories of the bucardo, a now extinct subspecies of Iberian ibex whose genome was preserved before the turn of the millennium, and the woolly mammoth, whose genome is still a work in progress, the author poses questions concerning the existential authenticity of this genomic anabiosis. They serve as archetypal illustrations of salvaged and synthesized anabiotic creatures. De/extinction is presented as a liminal state of being, both living and dead, both fact and fiction, a realm that we have growing access to through the proliferation of synthetic biology and cryopreservation. The article concludes through a presentation of anabiotic geographies, postulating on the changing biocultural significances we attach to organisms both extinct and extant, and considering their implications for the contemporary extinction crisis.

The Cosmic Mystery Tour

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Mee
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Particle Physics ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Big Bang ◽  
Galactic Centre ◽  
Red Giants ◽  
Extraterrestrial Life ◽  
Modern Physics ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
The Universe

The Cosmic Mystery Tour is a brief account of modern physics and astronomy presented in a broad historical and cultural context. The book is attractively illustrated and aimed at the general reader. Part I explores the laws of physics including general relativity, the structure of matter, quantum mechanics and the Standard Model of particle physics. It discusses recent discoveries such as gravitational waves and the project to construct LISA, a space-based gravitational wave detector, as well as unresolved issues such as the nature of dark matter. Part II begins by considering cosmology, the study of the universe as a whole and how we arrived at the theory of the Big Bang and the expanding universe. It looks at the remarkable objects within the universe such as red giants, white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes, and considers the expected discoveries from new telescopes such as the Extremely Large Telescope in Chile, and the Event Horizon Telescope, currently aiming to image the supermassive black hole at the galactic centre. Part III considers the possibility of finding extraterrestrial life, from the speculations of science fiction authors to the ongoing search for alien civilizations known as SETI. Recent developments are discussed: space probes to the satellites of Jupiter and Saturn; the discovery of planets in other star systems; the citizen science project SETI@Home; Breakthrough Starshot, the project to develop technologies to send spacecraft to the stars. It also discusses the Fermi paradox which argues that we might actually be alone in the cosmos

scholarly journals Intellectual property rights in Brazilian floriculture: innovations for the growth and development of the market

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Helio Junqueira ◽  
Marcia Peetz
Keyword(s):  
Growth And Development ◽  
Ornamental Plants ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
The United States ◽  
Consumer Market ◽  
International Trends ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Cultivated Species ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sectoral Policy

One of the most important demands imposed by the consumer market on the Brazilian Productive Chain of Flowers and Ornamental Plants is the constant launching of innovations in cultivated species and varieties. Such innovations include the constant introduction of flowers and plants not yet grown and commercialized, both native and adapted exotic species, as well as transformations and changes in size, shape, coloring and conduction patterns and presentation of these goods to the market. Brazil does not have a relevant breeding and cultivation industry. In this sense, it is highly dependent on imports of genetic material developed by countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, the United States of America, Thailand, among others. Recent developments in the sectoral policy to protect the rights of genetic developers, in the development of internationally adequate legislation and in the control of the use and trade of cultivars, has allowed Brazil greater access to new genetic materials of high quality and in line with contemporary international trends in the consumption. This article aims to discuss the state of the art of protection of cultivars in Brazil, pointing to the advances that the legislation and the inspection have allowed in relation to the introduction of genetic innovations, evaluating the impact of these measures on the growth and development of the market of consumption of flowers and ornamental plants in the country.

scholarly journals Cell-Free Synthetic Biology Platform for Engineering Synthetic Biological Circuits and Systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dohyun Jeong ◽  
Melissa Klocke ◽  
Siddharth Agarwal ◽  
Jeongwon Kim ◽  
Seungdo Choi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Free Expression ◽  
Dna Nanostructures ◽  
Expression Systems ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
The Past ◽  
Current Cell ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Biological Circuits

Synthetic biology integrates diverse engineering disciplines to create novel biological systems for biomedical and technological applications. The substantial growth of the synthetic biology field in the past decade is poised to transform biotechnology and medicine. To streamline design processes and facilitate debugging of complex synthetic circuits, cell-free synthetic biology approaches has reached broad research communities both in academia and industry. By recapitulating gene expression systems in vitro, cell-free expression systems offer flexibility to explore beyond the confines of living cells and allow networking of synthetic and natural systems. Here, we review the capabilities of the current cell-free platforms, focusing on nucleic acid-based molecular programs and circuit construction. We survey the recent developments including cell-free transcription–translation platforms, DNA nanostructures and circuits, and novel classes of riboregulators. The links to mathematical models and the prospects of cell-free synthetic biology platforms will also be discussed.

Bottom-Up Synthetic Biology: Engineering in a Tinkerer’s World

Science ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 333 (6047) ◽  
pp. 1252-1254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Schwille
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Life Science ◽  
Biological Systems ◽  
Living Systems ◽  
Design Features ◽  
Literal Interpretation ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Systematic Construction ◽  
Science Discipline ◽  
Recent Developments

How synthetic can “synthetic biology” be? A literal interpretation of the name of this new life science discipline invokes expectations of the systematic construction of biological systems with cells being built module by module—from the bottom up. But can this possibly be achieved, taking into account the enormous complexity and redundancy of living systems, which distinguish them quite remarkably from design features that characterize human inventions? There are several recent developments in biology, in tight conjunction with quantitative disciplines, that may bring this literal perspective into the realm of the possible. However, such bottom-up engineering requires tools that were originally designed by nature’s greatest tinkerer: evolution.

scholarly journals Recent Developments of the Synthetic Biology Toolkit for Clostridium

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rochelle C. Joseph ◽  
Nancy M. Kim ◽  
Nicholas R. Sandoval
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Recent Developments

scholarly journals “Researching Starsky and Hutch is exquisite torture”

2021 ◽  
pp. 213-219
Author(s):  
E. Charlotte Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Television Viewing ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Domestic Market ◽  
Television History ◽  
Work In Progress ◽  
Primary Source Documents

This paper reflects on work-in-progress on archived media fans’ letterzines of the 1970s and 1980s. Growing out of the science fiction APA fanzine scene, letterzines collect letters of comment (LOCs) between female fans and capture conversations about their television viewing. Zines from this period go beyond science fiction and include fandoms for cop shows such as Starsky & Hutch (ABC, 1975–1979) and Simon & Simon (CBS, 1981–1989). Letterzines, which have not typically been used as a source for exploring women’s television history, contain a range of information of interest to historians: interpretations of character and narrative, reports on fan conventions and meet-ups, and discussions of how women related to contemporary television at a time when VCRs started to saturate the domestic market. These primary source documents can potentially nuance assumptions about what women watched, their views on the programmes, and the contexts in which they watched.

scholarly journals Genome-wide identification of endogenous viral sequences in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander M. Boutanaev ◽  
Lev G. Nemchinov
Keyword(s):  
Medicago Sativa ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Virus Species ◽  
Functional Roles ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Chlorotic Mottle Virus ◽  
Chlorotic Mottle ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Endogenous Viral Elements

AbstractEndogenous viral elements (EVEs) have been for the most part described in animals and to a less extent in plants. The endogenization was proposed to contribute toward evolution of living organisms via horizontal gene transfer of novel genetic material and resultant genetic diversity. During the last two decades, several full-length and fragmented EVEs of pararetroviral and non-retroviral nature have been identified in different plant genomes, both monocots and eudicots. Prior to this work, no EVEs have been reported in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), the most cultivated forage legume in the world. In this study, taking advantage of the most recent developments in the field of alfalfa research, we have assessed alfalfa genome on the presence of viral-related sequences. Our analysis revealed segmented EVEs resembling two dsDNA reverse-transcribing virus species: Soybean chlorotic mottle virus (family Caulimoviridae, genus Soymovirus) and Figwort mosaic virus (family Caulimoviridae, genus Caulimovirus). The EVEs appear to be stable constituents of the host genome and in that capacity could potentially acquire functional roles in alfalfa’s development and response to environmental stresses.

scholarly journals Posthumously Conceived Children and Succession Law: A View from Ireland

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 380-402
Author(s):  
Kathryn O’Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Assisted Reproduction ◽  
Common Law ◽  
General Scheme ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Assisted Human Reproduction ◽  
International Experiences ◽  
International Perspectives ◽  
Recent Developments

Abstract Since its emergence in the late 1970s, posthumous conception has provoked controversy. However, notwithstanding that a number of jurisdictions continue to apply a blanket ban on the posthumous use of genetic material, many (if not most) common law jurisdictions now expressly or implicitly permit such post-mortem conception. Yet as awareness of the potential for posthumous conception continues to increase, so too does awareness of the associated legal complications. In particular, serious questions arise as to whether the so-called ‘after born’ children ought to enjoy succession rights in their deceased parent’s estate. This article considers various arguments for and against the recognition of the succession rights of posthumously conceived children and reflects on the position adopted in a number of jurisdictions. With these international perspectives in mind, the article then places the spotlight on recent developments in Ireland, specifically the recent publication of the General Scheme of the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill 2017, which seeks to expressly permit and regulate posthumous assisted reproduction in the jurisdiction. The article considers the apparent intention of the Irish legislature to recognize the ‘inheritance’ rights of posthumously conceived children and, drawing on international experiences, questions how this intention might best be realized.

Robots, Replicants, and Surrogates

2021 ◽  
pp. 84-111
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Machine Learning ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Intelligent Systems ◽  
New World ◽  
Attitudes And Perceptions ◽  
The World ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Brave New World ◽  
And Robotics

The human brain is an extraordinary machine. Its ability to process information and adapt to circumstances by reprogramming itself is unparalleled, and it remains the best source of inspiration for recent developments in artificial intelligence. This has given rise to machine learning, intelligent systems, and robotics. Robots and AI might right now still seem the reserve of blockbuster science fiction movies and documentaries, but it's no doubt the world is changing. This chapter explores the origins, attitudes, and perceptions of robotics and the multiple types of robots that exist today. Perhaps most importantly, it focuses on ethical and societal concerns over the question: Are we heading for a brave new world or a science fiction horror-show where AI and robots displace or, perhaps more worryingly, replace humans?

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