Playing God

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Horizon, 2011-2012 Episode 7 of 15

Duration: 1 hour

Adam Rutherford meets a new creature created by American scientists - the spider-goat. It is part goat, part spider, and its milk can be used to create artificial spider's web.

It is part of a new field of research, synthetic biology, with a radical aim: to break down nature into spare parts so that we can rebuild it however we please.

This technology is already being used to make bio-diesel to power cars. Other researchers are looking at how we might, one day, control human emotions by sending 'biological machines' into our brains.

Last on

Wed 29 Feb 2012 00:00 BBC HD

See all previous episodes from Horizon

  • Reflectin proteins from squid

    Reflectin proteins from squid

    Dr Adam Rutherford and Cat McMurran, student at University of Cambridge talking about their iGem entry.

    iGem 2011

  • Dr Adam Rutherford and Prof Ron Weiss

    Dr Adam Rutherford and Prof Ron Weiss

    Prof Ron Weiss is one of the founders of synthetic biology and Director, MIT Synthetic Biology Center.

Credits

Presenter
Adam Rutherford
Director
Matthew Dyas
Executive Producer
Aidan Laverty
Writer
Matthew Dyas

Broadcasts

See all broadcasts of Playing God (5)

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