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futurescope:

The Potential of Synthetic Biology in Space

A lot of proposed synthetic biology applications can seem pretty out there, but some are really out there. NASA is currently advertising open postdoctoral positions in synthetic biology, with particular emphasis on food production in space. Engineered organisms have the potential to do lots of things that would be useful for space colonists, from producing food and fuel to treating wastewater. Because organisms replicate themselves, future astronauts would only have to bring some spores and seeds and empty bioreactors, the organisms would do the rest of the work. […]

[via] [Synthetic Biology @ NASA] [photo credit by Matt Mansell]

I fully endorse these applications of synthetic biology, and I would love to help develop them. If only we had programs funded that could put them to use …