"Information Spins Lives: Artificial Viruses Open the Door to Science and Ethics."
In 2002, virologist Eckert Wimmer succeeded in artificially reconstructing the poliovirus using only publicly available RNA sequence information and commercially available DNA synthesis technology, without collecting the virus from nature, and published his findings in the scientific journal Science. This achievement was a breakthrough that demonstrated the concept that "life is information," and had a major impact on the development of synthetic biology. On the other hand, the demonstration that viruses could be synthesized from scratch raised concerns about their misuse in bio-terrorism and biological weapons, and the balance between openness of research and scientific freedom and security became controversial. Wimmer insisted on the importance of transparency and responsible treatment of science, calling for correct management and understanding rather than a blockade of knowledge. This event is remembered as emblematic of the ethical and social challenges that accompany sc
ientific and technological advances.
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