health
February 4, 2026
On the Future of Species by Adrian Woolfson review
A genomic entrepreneur’s guide to the coming revolution in biology raises troubling questions about ethics and safety
TL;DR
- The impulse to blend species traits with human ones is deeply ingrained, and soon, imaginary creatures may become biological reality.
- Key inventions like advanced DNA synthesis technologies and AI (specifically AlphaFold2 for protein folding) are driving this revolution.
- Synthetic species could lead to innovations like biofuels, medicines, biosensors, and drought-resistant crops.
- Potential dangers include the creation of human-made pathogens for bioterrorism, ecological imbalances, and ethical concerns about altering mammal genomes.
- While the author acknowledges risks, he argues against halting AI-led genomics research due to its immense potential benefits, though the article suggests he may be too complacent about the dangers.
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