Infotech revolutions erupted from garages and the same is beginning to happen with biotechnology. Biohacking or Biopunk, is in its infancy, but the tools and knowledge to make novel organism is becoming cheaper and more widely available. A computer programmer, Meredith Patterson is trying to develop genetically altered yogurt bacteria in her San Francisco dining room lab. She built her own lab ordering jelly fish DNA and other equipments through internet.
Biological research is expanding beyond the academic and industrial labs. "Why does all biology happen in academic and industrial labs?" - questions Mac Cowell, cofounder of DIYbio. DIYbio website claims that it is an organization that aims to help make biology a worthwhile pursuit for citizen scientists, amateur biologists and DIY biological engineers who value openness and safety.
Democratization of science is flourishing and the trend is evident in synthetic biology. With all the genetic data available publicly, now focus is on doing wet lab work. DYIbio claims that they focus on doing the wet lab work in a very public and transparent setting.
A cross-section of experts feel that the domestication of biotechnology in everyday life may be helpful in solving practical and economic problems. It will lead to an explosion of diversity of new living creatures. Biotech games may become a reality in the future.
But what about safety? After all, some garage infotech hackers unleashed destructive computer viruses into the internet. Shouldn't we fear that garage biohackers will release actual viruses into the biosphere? Indeed, this will happen, but what's the best way to protect ourselves from malicious biotech viruses and other organisms? More regulation and government restrictions on access to biotech equipment and materials? Or do we need more robust technology? These questions are to be answered carefully by the biotech lobbyists, hobbyists and the Governments to reach a global consensus.
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