National Academies warn of synthetic biology dangers
By 
Rebecca Trager2018-06-26T13:34:00
Promise for treating diseases and making chemicals offset by fears the field could also spawn new weapons, US committee warns
Developments in synthetic biology demand close scrutiny because the field poses a potential threat to humanity, warns a new interim report by the US National Academies. Although synthetic biology offers the opportunity to transform disease treatment and chemical manufacturing, among other areas, it could also enable the creation of novel types of weapons at unprecedented speeds, the National Academies committee said.