In an earlier post, I had posited the question of whether it was more “sustainable” to have traditional street lamps or genetically engineered bioluminescent trees. It appears that this idea has been in the mind of many researchers and is finally reaching the public in the most public way possible: kickstarter. A team of researchers have put together a kickstarter initiative to generate enough funds to mass-produce bioluminescent plants. The project has already surpassed its goal and as of this post, there are still 42 days to go. Clearly, this project has triggered the imagination and enthusiasm of the public. The application of bioluminescent trees/plants as public infrastructure is clear, and it makes sense that the public should be the ones to fund such an initiative, making such public infrastructure truly public.
As the video mentions, “Synthetic Biology is the future,” and I strongly believe that the technological future will shift towards synthetic biology, no matter what technical field. Synthetic Biology has uses in the fashion industry, the technology industry, the automobile industry, the healthcare industry, ect. Our world is shifting towards one supported not by mechanical systems, but by biological ones. This project is surely a “Symbol of the future” as it represent imagination turned into reality. Even the craziest ideas can be created with scientific principles and an innovative mind.
Ethan Yen 