Are we one step closer to creating life in a lab?
Summary
This episode explores synthetic biology’s “Spud cells,” self-replicating fatty blobs created from scratch, debating their status as life and ethical implications. It also covers new seafloor formation via a major mid-ocean ridge eruption captured by sensors, and uses seismic data from football crowds to test earthquake models. Guests include Kai Kupferschmidt, Lizzie Gibney, and Jean-Arthur Olive.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: GoTurkiye and Singapore Business Events
Introduction: Mid-ocean ridges, synthetic life, and football
Synthetic Biology: Creating self-replicating 'Spud' cells from scratch
Ethics and Future of Artificial Life: Regulation and ownership
Hannibal's Route: Using elephant metabolism to solve a historical mystery
Sponsors: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and ChatGPT Work
Seafloor Birth: Recording a volcanic eruption at the mid-ocean ridge
Football Science: Using stadium vibrations to test earthquake models
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