Headline March 3rd, 2012 / The 'C' Bomb

The 'C' Bomb!!

Special loving dedication for SAM founders! 

Some known!! Some anonymous!! All Heroes!

A computer is difficult to define. The best I can do is that 'anything that can process information in a systematic way qualifies as a "Computer". So if we use a bit of logic we can call the instruction code as software. But were we to correlate with nature, then cells are wetware of this century and beyond. A cell computes when it processes chemical signals under the control of genome. 

Synthetic biology has emerged as scientists search for smarter ways of building ever smaller computers. Many and I believe that natural, living systems offer solutions to our every problem, answers honed by billions of years of evolution. Nature has completely beaten in the miniaturisation stakes. Pretty much every cell in your body contains 3 gigabytes of data, the information equivalent of 200 copies of Karachi phone book. 

Now by re-engineering living systems, we can build biological micro-machines for smaller than anything we could make from scratch. Remember "biology is the nanotechnology that works". Scientists anticipate the creation of a "doctor in a cell" in the next year or so. This cell will be designed to roam around, sniff out and treat diseases at its source inside the body. The ethical, legal and safety concerns are our nightmare. 

Therefore its in any other form must be very very carefully thought out. Transparency of every process must be made compulsory. 20th century  will be remembered for the manipulation of electronic bits; and 21st century would best be remembered for the manipulation of synthetic biology and for ever smarter ways of building ever smaller computers. Good night 

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