A programming language for living cells
> "You could be a student in high school and go onto the Web-based server and type out the program you want, and it spits back the DNA sequence."<p>Woah, hold your horses right there.<p>One of the first things I did when I learned to program in high school was to write a virus.<p>So I'd think twice before making a "Web-based server" which spits out DNA and letting everyone use it.<p>It's not just about high schoolers or terrorists.<p>"The only way to solve the issues that the world is facing is for the population to drop by 60%".<p>These were the words of a successful tech entrepreneur, who's lived in a dozen countries, fairly young, open minded and intelligent who I had dinner with a couple of days ago.<p>And I see his point - the overpopulation issue is real - but I'm scared that this idea is taking roots in our minds, even in the minds of people who should know better.<p>This was spoken in the context of a discussion about war, but why do war, when one person can design an organism that wipes out 60% of humans ?<p>Our consciousness is not evolved enough to handle the ability of designing random organisms and viruses.<p>I've voiced this opinion before, but the community seemed to not agree with it much. But I'm still standing by it - be very careful with this tech.<p>In fact, I think this shouldn't be allowed to get out of the lab. Not yet.