A new type of microbe that can survive only on artificial nutrients promises better security against such mishaps. The strategy, described in two papers in this week’s issue of Nature, might ultimately be used to control genetically engineered plants or other organisms released into the wild to create products or clean up pollution.
Engineered microbes themselves can also accidentally end up in a product or the environment. That's why government regulators require that most engineered microbes be physically contained in sealed vats or other containers.
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Wickeddevelopment
A hybread of this introduced would make us dependent on the substance or die as well.. wow where does this logic come from where we try to find some way to destroy rather then build
Uncle AL
We would like to know the exact names of all the "firewall" chemicals used lest they be coincidentally incorporated into perfume, hair pomade, or skin lotion. Vast swaths of fashionable people could be infected into extinction - which is forever. This is why no human-contact product should be released until all its unknown hazards are enumerated.
Paul
Or they could be used to wipe out a specific human population without the worry of them living long enough to spread to other human populations. For every good use, someone else will find ways to implement a diabolical use.
