'Synthetic killers': Scientists warn of bacteria that could erase everything on Earth
Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Mirror Life
Synthetic lifeforms made from "mirror-image biological molecules" are a decade away but pose risks, according to an article in Science by 38 international scientists.
Synthetic Threat
These mirror organisms, crafted from opposite-handed molecules, could evade immune systems, resist predators, and withstand most antibiotics, researchers warn.
Immune Evasion
Scientists highlight that mirror bacteria might evade human, animal, and plant immune responses, raising concerns about uncontrolled spread and infection risks.
Environmental Risk
Mirror organisms, like invasive species, could proliferate rapidly, evolving and diversifying unchecked in the environment, warn experts from Stanford and Yale.
Antibiotic Resistance
If mirror bacteria were to emerge, they could be impervious to most antibiotics, adding a new layer of complexity to global health challenges.
Call to Halt
The scientists strongly recommend banning the creation of mirror organisms unless there is undeniable proof they won’t pose extraordinary dangers.
Funding Freeze
Researchers urge funding agencies to withhold support for projects aiming to create mirror genomes or cells to mitigate the risks of synthetic pathogens.
Research Focus
Recommended actions include studying how mirror biomolecules interact with immune systems and developing detection methods to monitor potential threats.
Global Reflection
The findings, published in Science, have sparked a critical conversation in the scientific community about ethical boundaries and potential biosecurity risks.