The Genesis Machine

Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology

By: Amy Webb, Andrew Hessel

Narrated by: Amy Webb, Andrew Hessel, Tim Campbell, Landon Woodson, Amanda Dolan

A New Yorker Best Book of the Year

A breakthrough investigation of synthetic biology: the promising and controversial technology platform that combines biology and artificial intelligence and has the potential to program biological systems like we program computers.

The breakthrough science of synthetic biology has the potential to help solve humanity’s existential challenges from climate change, to the health and feeding of millions, to fighting the next viral outbreak before it becomes a global pandemic.

A promising and controversial science that combines biology and artificial intelligence, synthetic biology opens up the possibility of programming biological systems much as we program computers. Rather than life being “a beautiful game of chance,” synthetic biology can give us control over our genetic destiny, say no to bad genes, and add new capabilities into any cell, microbe, plant, or animal—enabling us not just to read and edit DNA, but write it. And herein lies the controversy.

Whether we approve or disapprove, synthetic biology is coming. Amy Webb and Andrew Hessel give us the understanding we need to assess both the promise and peril of the science as well as the complex ethical, moral, political, and societal issues surrounding it.

Critic reviews

“[A] thought-provoking introduction to synthetic biology…[a] breathtaking science, but it is also scary. Who's in charge, and where are the brakes?”—Booklist

Mostly accurate, worthwhile, informative

A comprehensive exploration of this important field. The authors got most of the facts right. The readers were good, easy to listen to. Only mispronounced a few technical terms. But if you have to choose only one, I recommend "The Code Breaker" by Walter Isaacson, about CRISPR and Jennifer Doudna.

Fascinating

this is fascinating and inspiring review of bio engineering with substantial commentary as to possible future outcomes. The book is highly educational and didactic, and it is designed to be highly accessible (not too technical) the authors' sense of excitement and inspiration and passion for the topic is rather contagious and it will inspire you to think about a possible better future with the use of synthetic biology. Whether you are against or for genetic engineering this book is chalk full of examples stories and ideas that will fascinate. I would particularly recommend it for someone who is against GMO's because I think that they accessible scientific information might inform their views.

The future is going to be crazy

Definitely lots of very interesting vectors the biological future is going to be taking. I'm hoping that some of the items they are working on are going to have a direct benefit to my longevity, but I'm afraid it's going to happen slightly slower than I want it to. Of course the darker side of this is the "dark science" that could be used in a negative way on humanity. Definitely a good read IMHO.

A Warning

This book contains science surveyed without an agenda. It can be scary to hear facts

Really good synthesis of the field with an informed perspective; bad solutions

The first 90% of the book was really great! Really informative history including even recent advancements in synthetic biology. The last 10% with their solutions leave a lot to be desired. They softly peddle the “COVID was a made in a Chinese lab” conspiracy to argue against gain-of-function research. That left a really bad taste in my mouth. Their other “solutions” were a bit oversimplistic.

However, the first 90% of the book, especially the scenarios toward the end, make it worth it.