Scientists have been engineering biology for decades in a variety of ways, but the developing field of synthetic biology opens up new possibilities and questions.
Developed as part of the Building with Biology project, the Introduction to Synthetic Biology and Society video is designed to help create conversations in museums among scientists and public audiences about the emerging field of synthetic biology and its societal implications. (Watch the video with Spanish subtitles)
Synthetic biology is an area of scientific research focused on the possibility of redesigning, engineering, and constructing entirely new biological systems.
Throughout history, humans have strived to create more desirable products such as food that is easier to grow and tastes better. Synthetic biology builds on the science of agricultural breeding and genetic engineering to create new things faster and cheaper in even more controlled and specific ways. The field is exploring where biology-based products might provide solutions to a wide diversity of problems in health, energy, and the environment.
