Life at the Speed of Light: From the Double Helix to the Dawn of Digital Life

by J. Craig Venter

The renowned scientist and author of A Life Decoded examines the creation of life in the field of synthetic genomics.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Biology, History, Genetics, Technology, Popular Science

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 17, 2013

About the author

DR. J. CRAIG VENTER is regarded as one of the leading scientists of the 21st century for his invaluable contributions in genomic research, most notably for the first sequencing and analysis of the human genome published in 2001 and the most recent and most complete sequencing of his diploid human genome in 2007.

He is Co-Founder, Chairman, CEO, Co-Chief Scientific Officer of Synthetic Genomics, Inc; as well as Founder, President and Chairman of the J. Craig Venter Institute. He was also the founder of Human Genome Sciences, Diversa Corporation and Celera Genomics. He and his teams have sequenced more than 300 organisms including human, fruit fly, mouse, rat, and dog as well as numerous microorganisms and plants.

Dr. Venter is also the key leader in the field of synthetic genomics. This work, trying to create the first synthetic genome, is leading to extraordinary advances in engineering microorganisms for many vital energy and environmental applications used at SGI. He is the author of more than 200 research articles and is among the most cited scientists in the world. He is the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and scientific awards including the 2008 National Medal of Science. He is also a member of many prestigious scientific organizations including the National Academy of Sciences.

He is the author of A Life Decoded: My Genome: My Life.

Reviews

[Andrej Karpathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book covers a brief history of the discovery of DNA as the "software of life", the work that went into the sequencing of it (read), the ability to synthesize it (write), the process of introducing it to a host cell (boot), and speculations about what all of this technology means for the future.

The book does a pretty good job answering the question of what the sequencing of the human genome looked like "on the ground" for the people involved, and gives a good sense and quite a few details into what kinds of problems there were along the way and how they were being resolved over time in the process of science/engineering of the achievement.

I thought that the core thesis of the book "life at the speed of light" was a bit of a stretch. At one point, I wasn't sure why, a number of pages are devoted to teleportation in Stark Trek and then quantum entanglement and quantum teleportation. This is one of my favorite pet peeves because I believe I think it really confuses the public (we're not literally teleporting matter, we are moving a quantum state from one physical ensemble to another). It's also HIGHLY unrelated to the type of "telepotation" discussed in the book, which is of the form: take life, sequence DNA, transmit the DNA (information over light), synthesize DNA, introduce into a living cell to "boot" it. I understand that we can both read and write DNA and transmit it at will (it's just information), but there are still A LOT of nuances involved (e.g. especially the need for a physical and related host cell from somewhere that can also take in that DNA). The discussion of these nuances are summed up to only a few quick paragraphs, so I think a non-expert reader may think we're actually talking about teleporting living things around Star Trek style with their memories intact and all, or "beaming down" Martian life from a drone, as discussed near the end of the book. These are very misleading and unnecessary analogies, imo.

I would advise a selective reading for anyone interested in a first-hand account of what the research challenges were in a lot of the early work on reading/writing DNA of tiny organisms all the way to humans and, on a high level, how they were overcome.

3/5 (I liked it)

[Alex Givant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book from the guy who decoded DNA. Shows you how biology is moving to computers now. Very interesting read.

[Dan'S_mind]

Did you know Venter was involved in the development of Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs)? I didn't, and yet I used them in my BSc-thesis!

Some people might be put off by his very mechanistic view, proteins are machines, DNA is software, cells are assembly lines. I'm not.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erwin Schrodinger's "What is Life?" has been for generations a book that has inspired so many scientists in looking for an accurate answer to what separates the animate from the inanimate and the possibility to get rid of the way of thinking based on vitalism. But as many discoveries or explanations have been made thanks to Darwin, Watson and Crick and many others superb scientist in the field of biology as well as physics, we haven't been able to get rid of that necessity of give a transcendent meaning to life.

On "Life at the Speed of light" Craig Venter, also inspired by Schrodinger, approaches this question and makes a marvelous narrative of his journey in the creation of the first synthetic life form. Venter is not only known for this but also for his work on sequencing the human genome and of a wide array of microorganisms. You will also read very interesting historical data and the contributions of many Nobel laureates that are part of this fascinating history of molecular biology. From panspermia to biological teletransportation, the author achieves to give the basic information necessary to understand these topics and also makes a persuasive approach towards the reader regarding the importance of understanding the contributions that science can give to humanity.

So, what makes us human? Can we really settle with the reductionist approach with the basic ingredients that make up our human genome?

More than a book, I enjoyed it as a memoir of a detailed explanation of Venter's original work with a very personal touch. Personally, I admire and find very stimulating to read the contributions of such great men. Life at the speed of light is very recommendable for those in love with genetics, evolutionary biology and those always aiming for an answer to abiogenesis.


"Nothing in biology makes sense, except in the light of evolution" Theodosius Dobzhansky 1973.

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 4 out of 5]

ENGLISH: A good popular book about recent advances in genetic engineering and synthetic biology. The author, who has been one of the leading actors in this field, is perhaps too optimistic about future advances (he seems to think that the problem of the artificial generation of life is practically solved, which I doubt), but not so much as other researchers and some of the media. He also makes his own prejudices clear, as well as a slight anti-religious stance.

ESPAÑOL: Un buen libro de divulgación sobre los avances recientes en ingeniería genética y biología sintética. El autor, que ha sido uno de los principales investigadores en este campo, es quizá demasiado optimista sobre los avances futuros (parece pensar que el problema de la generación artificial de vida está prácticamente solucionado, cosa que dudo), pero no tanto como otros investigadores y algunos medios de comunicación. También deja claros sus propios prejuicios, así como una ligera postura antirreligiosa.

[Dennis Littrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A challenging read

What Venter means by “life at the speed of light” is the digitalization of DNA that can then be sent in the form of light waves anywhere in the universe. This also means that DNA can be sent to us from a distant civilization. It also means that if we do discover life in the sands of Mars or under the surface of Europa or elsewhere in the Solar System we need not bring it back in a space craft but can send the digitized sequence as electromagnetic radiation.

But even more than this, as in the subtitle of this book, we should be able to reconstruct the DNA of some possible Martian microbe and bring it to life in a lab here on earth.

But there’s even more. Venter shows that we can by manipulation of digitized DNA create new life forms or modify existing ones. (That would be genetic engineering gone viral, so to speak.) And it is happening right now. As I write this in October, 2016 I can reference a story in the journal “Nature” about a story in the journal “Science” in which Venter has created a living cell that he says constitutes a brand new, artificial species.

So this is an exciting book in what it presages. I give it only four stars because to be candid you really have to have some background in molecular biology to fully appreciate the text. It’s not just the terminology that is forbidding. It’s the fact that even if you know what the words mean it is difficult to follow the expression since it is the procedures and techniques that need to be visualized to be understood. Furthermore the text is dense. Even the history of molecular biology that Venter recounts is full of minute detail. It’s clear that Venter wanted to be sure he understood what other scientists had learned as he proceeded to famously sequence the human genome and then go on to create synthetic life.

The keynote of the book is from Erwin Schrodinger’s famous short book from 1944, “What Is Life?” In that book, which I read many years ago, Schrodinger lays out the prospect for the reduction of life to physics and chemistry. What Schrodinger wanted to dispel is the idea that life requires a certain vital essence (“élan vital” from Henri Bergson) to be alive. Venter’s book is in a sense a celebration of Schrodinger’s vision. To quote Venter:

“As the Industrial Age is drawing to a close, we are witnessing the dawn of an era of biological design. Humankind is about to enter a new phase of evolution.” (p. 7)

Note the term, “biological design.” Yes, we are going to be the Intelligent Designers of new life forms, very possibly our successors. And where that may lead we know not.

--Dennis Littrell, author of “The World Is Not as We Think It Is”

[P.T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The history, scientific achievements, and speculation in this book are mind blowing, but that can be hard to see through the dry, rambling writing. Gifted popular science writers can communicate complex science in a way average people can at least feel like they understand, but unfortunately, Venter can't quite do it. I feel like key details are left out, which instead of dumbing it down enough to understand, just makes it harder to follow. More straightforward chapters resemble shopping lists more than stories, jumping from item to item with no particular order or direction.

But you know, the material covered is so incredible, that the book partially succeeds despite itself. It's still worth reading for that.

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

CV's book covers two themes. The early chapters are a down to earth description of challenges facing modern researchers on the forefront of genetics research. The level of care and craftsmanship demanded by the research is plain. But the details really aren't explained very well and the description isn't benefited by CV's turgid narration.

The later chapters are a futuristic rumination on long term potential applications. This is certainly more entertaining, but is pure speculation.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

"These are the days of miracle and wonder." So sang Paul Simon on the Graceland album a number of years back. As I read Venter's account, I found myself intrigued and amazed at what is going on in Venter's and other scientist's labs and the incredible advances even since the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 (Venter's Celera Corporation was one of two teams working on this project, along with the NIH team under the leadership of Francis Collins).

The title of this book is deliberate. Venter chronicles his work from the early days of sequencing viral and bacterial genomes, through the Human Genome Project as essentially uncovering the digital code to life. Following the completion of the Human Genome Project, he describes successive efforts in synthesizing genomes, and of inserting synthesized genomes of one species into the cell of another, converting it to a new species. All this is part of a growing capability to synthesize the building blocks to life. In roughly 50 years, we moved from discerning the double helix structure of DNA to the capacity to synthesize the code of life.

What is more, through a combination of digitization and "speed of light" transmission technology, he argues that we can do things as wild as explore Mars, and if we find life, to transmit the genome and reproduce that life on earth without transporting it back. We can transmit code for viruses across the world instantaneously.

Venter at points ventures into the larger implications of this work and the possibilities of opening a Pandora's box through this research. His argument would be that this knowledge is out there, and that while we cannot prevent misuse of that knowledge, research efforts may be our best protection against that misuse, whether in the form of antidotes or other defenses. He also explores the tremendous potential benefits in accelerated vaccine production, designing bacteriophages to destroy antibiotic resistant bacteria, and more. What Venter advocates are thoughtful conversations about ethics and protocol without hysteria or "playing God" tirades.

What reading this book awakened me to are some of the incredible advances going on in biological labs at universities and research institutes around the world. We are seeing the results of this already in medicine, agriculture, environmental sciences and more. As with other scientific advances, it is vital that we understand not only what can we do but also wrestle with what ought we do and how will we respond when some do what ought not be done. What books like Venter's does is help us with the first part of that, understanding what can be done as a result of the advances in genomic research.

This review was based on a complimentary e-galley version of this book provided by the publisher through Netgalley.

[Jeremy Yoder · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my review for The Molecular Ecologist:

Life at the Speed of Light is a fine, compact introduction to the science of life’s inner workings. Its ultimate value may not be in providing behind-the-scenes details of the most important recent advances in biology, but as a manifesto on what they mean, direct from one of their co-creators.

[Aaron Thibeault · Rating 4 out of 5]

*A full executive summary of this book is available here: http://newbooksinbrief.com/2013/12/03...

Ever since the structure of DNA was deciphered by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953, the field of biology has advanced at a lightning-quick pace. In this time, we have learned how DNA codes for the manufacture of proteins of which every living thing is made, and thus acts as the blueprint of life. We have also learned to read this blueprint; to splice it (to transfer genes, and hence features, from one organism to another—and even one species to another); to synthesize it from its component parts; and we have even learned to rewrite DNA to yield wholly new biological products, features and organisms. Thus recent advances have not only allowed us to gain a better understanding of what life is and how it works, but have also allowed us to take control of life and to manipulate it to help advance our ends—and in fields as wide-ranging as food production, medicine, energy, environmental protection etc. And this is just the beginning, for biologists still have much to learn about which genes code for what features, and how to manipulate DNA to achieve the best results—and thus we can expect that some of the greatest applications to come out of biology are yet to come.

The biologist J. Craig Venter has been at the forefront of biological research for the past 35 years, and has played a pivotal role in some of its most important advances (including everything from sequencing the human genome, to creating the first synthetic life form), and in his new book Life at the Speed of Light: From the Double Helix to the Dawn of Digital Life, Venter takes us through the major advances that have occurred since the time of Watson and Crick—and also touches on what is likely to come next.

After taking us through the basics of DNA, Venter touches on the advances that led up to his effort to sequence the entire 3-billion-letter human genome. This story includes all of the major advances in biologists’ ability to read DNA, and culminates with the success of the human genome project.

From here we are taken through biologists’ efforts to move from reading DNA to synthesizing it in the lab. Once again, Venter and his collaborators have played a central role in these advances, including being responsible for the latest and greatest accomplishment here—which involved synthesizing a modified version of the genome of a single-celled organism, booting it up inside a recipient cell, and having it survive, thrive and reproduce. Venter gives a detailed account of this accomplishment, and thus we are given an inside view into the scientific process—with all its trials, tribulations, and glorious successes.

Finally, Venter details where biology is headed now, and next—including where his own research is taking him. Here we learn about the cutting-edge of synthetic biology, which is the attempt to transform biology into an engineering science. Specifically, we learn how biologists are continuing to perfect the art of manipulating DNA, and how this is leading to exciting new applications across many fields. To give just one example, take Venter’s work with influenza vaccines. Venter is in the process of using synthetic biology to design, manufacture, and deliver influenza vaccines in a fraction of the time that it now takes—work that promises to save millions of lives in the event of future influenza outbreaks.

On the more speculative side of things, Venter ventures into how new advances might be used to probe for life in other parts of the universe—and how the genomes of any such life might be read, and sent back to earth on the back of electromagnetic waves to be synthesized and recreated in the lab. Life at the speed of light indeed!

It was a delight to read about the recent history and latest advances in biology from one of its most accomplished and renowned practitioners. Some might find Venter’s level of detail regarding his own work to be somewhat tedious at times, but I found this to be one of the strong points of the book. The only short-coming of the book, I thought, is that it does jump around somewhat, and the details are occasionally difficult to follow (so be prepared to read through it VERY carefully). All in all, though, a very good popular science book. A full executive summary of the book is available here: http://newbooksinbrief.com/2013/12/03... A podcast discussion of the book will be available soon.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE PROMINENT SCIENTIST REPORTS ON HIS WORK, AND BEYOND

J. Craig Venter wrote in the first chapter of this 2013 book, “On July 12, 2012, almost seven decades after Schrödinger’s original [‘What is Life?’] lectures, I found myself in Dublin, at the invitation of Trinity College… I knew my own [lecture] would be recorded, live-streamed, blogged, and tweeted about as I once again tackled the question that my predecessor had done so much to answer… I explained how life ultimately consists of DNA-driven biological machines. All living cells run on DNA software, which directs hundreds to thousands of protein robots. We have been digitizing life for decades, since we first figured out how to read the software of life for decades… Now we can go in the opposite direction by starting with computerized digital code, designing a new form of life, chemically synthesizing its DNA, and then booting it up to produce the actual organism. And because the information is now digital we can send it anywhere at the speed of light and re-create the DNA and life at the other end… [This book] is intended to describe the incredible progress that we have made…we have advanced … to an understanding of the genetic code to the proof, through construction of a synthetic chromosome and hence a synthetic cell, that DNA is the software of life… My aim is not to offer a comprehensive history of synthetic biology but to shed a little light on the power of that extraordinarily cooperative venture we call science.” (Pg. 6-7)

He began the book with the statement, “‘What is life?’… What precisely is it that separates the animate from the inanimate? What are the basic ingredients of life? Where did life first stir? How did the first organisms evolve? Is there life everywhere? To what extent is life scattered across the cosmos? If other kinds of creatures do exist on exoplanets, are they as intelligent as we are, or even more so? Today these questions … remain the biggest and most hotly debated in all of biology… though we are still groping for all the answers, we have made huge progress… toward addressing them… We have now entered what call ‘the digital age of biology,’ in which the once distinct domains of computer codes and those that program life are beginning to merge…” (Pg. 1)

He observes, “In our own time a new kind of vitalism has emerged. In this more refined form the emphasis s … on how current reductionist, materialist explanations seem inadequate to explain the mystery of life… vitalism today manifests itself in the guise of shifting emphasis away from DNA to an ‘emergent’ property of the cell that is somehow greater than the sum of its molecular parts and how they work in a particular environment. This subtle new vitalism results in a tendency … to downgrade or even ignore the central importance of DNA.” (Pg. 17)

He recounts, “When we announced our creation of the first synthetic cell, some had asked whether we were ‘playing God.’ In the restricted sense that we had shown with this experiment how God was unnecessary for the creation of new life, I suppose that we were. I believed that with the creation of synthetic life from chemicals, we had finally put to rest any remaining notions of vitalism once and for all. But it seems that I had underestimated the extent to which a belief in vitalism still pervades modern scientific thinking. Belief is the enemy of scientific advancement.” (Pg. 24)

He asserts, “This is now the age of digital biology… All the information needed to make a living, self-replicating cell is locked up within [DNA]… As we read and interpret that code, we should, in the fullness of time, be able to completely understand how cells work, then change and improve them by writing new cellular software. But, of course, that is much easier to say than to do in practice…” (Pg. 47)

He states, “we recognized that if we were successful in the ability to design the code of life in the computer, translate it into DNA software by chemical synthesis, and pu7t that synthetic code to work to create a new organism, this meant that vitalism was truly dead and… that we would have a clearer picture of what the word ‘life’ really meant.” (Pg. 78)

Of the results of a University of Pennsylvania bioethics published in ‘Science’ in 1999, he comments, “Perhaps the most pressing question … was ‘whether such research constitutes an unwarranted intrusion into matters best left to nature.’ An important conclusion of the study [was]… ‘the dominant [religious] view is that while there are reasons for concern, there is nothing… that is automatically prohibited by legitimate religious considerations.’ … The authors added that a ‘good steward’ would mov genomic research forward with caution… as long as they continue to engage in public discussions which we do.” (Pg. 82)

After announcement and publication about their successful 2010 experiment, “it was clear that some found it hard to accept the concept of life as an information system…The most significant criticisms focused on true significance of creating a cell controlled by DNA software. Did it count as synthetic life? Some pointed out correctly that our synthetic genome was closely based on an existing genome and thus did not count as being truly synthetic, having a natural ancestor in the form of M. mycoides… there were also those biologists who were absolutely certain that we had not created synthetic life at all because we had used an … already-living cell… This diverse range of views tells us … There is still no agreed-upon definition of what we actually mean by … ‘life,’ let alone ‘synthetic life,’ ‘artificial life,’ or ‘life from scratch.’ … We now know that the right DNA code… placed in the right chemical context, can produce new life out of existing life… there was no direct ancestor of the cell we had created to be found in nature. With our synthetic code we had added a new tributary to the river of life.” (Pg. 127-129)

He argues, “Even when we achieve life from a cell-free system, it still cannot be considered ‘life from scratch,’ whatever that might mean. I doubt if any of the individuals who have used this phrase have thought much about what they are actually trying to express from it. Let’s use baking a cake ‘from scratch’ to illustrate what I mean… I doubt that anyone would mean formulating his own baking powder by combining sodium, hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen to produce sodium bicarbonate…” (Pg. 131) Later, he adds, “The eventual creation of cells from scratch will open up extraordinary new possibilities… The ability to create life without pre-existing cells will also have very practical implications, since we will be able to increase the degree of freedom in the design of new forms of life.” (Pg. 136)

He acknowledges, “There are also ‘biohackers’ who want to experiment freely with the software of life… Many have focused on the risks of this technology’s falling into the ‘wrong hands.’ … However, it is not easy to synthesize a virus, let alone one that is virulent or infective, or to create it in a form that can be used in a practical way as a weapon… For me, a concern inf ‘bioerror’: the fallout that could occur as the result of DNA manipulation by a non-scientifically trained biohacker or ‘biopunk’…” (Pg. 155)

He admits “my assumption that life does indeed exist elsewhere in the universe; There are still many people (often religious) who believe that life on Earth is somehow special, or unique, and that we are alone in the cosmos. I am not among them.” (Pg. 180) He predicts, “The day is not far off when we will be able to send a robotically controlled genome-sequencing unit in a probe to other planets to read the DNA sequence of any alien microbe life that may be there… The ability to send DNA software in the form of light will have any number of intriguing ramifications…It is hard to imagine where [biology] will take us in the next seventy years, but whatever this new era of biology is heading, I know that the voyage will be as empowering as it is extraordinary.” (Pg. 186-187)

This book will be ‘must reading’ for those studying ‘origin-of-life’ research, and related topic.

[Joyita · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, the creator of the first synthetic cell writes about the field of synthetic biology. It covers some history. But it's mostly about the countless number of obstacles on the way to the making of the synthetic cell and how the team made it through. This is a story about some great engineering. My only gripe is the stark absence of figures in this book. Venter gets into great technical detail at times, which can be difficult to digest. And everyone knows that a picture is worth a thousand words.
I wanted to share this clipping from the book as an encouraging "Hang in there" message for grad students and postdocs. :-)
"When you are developing a new technique, there are no recipes to copy, textbooks to consult, or manuals to read to pass on those little tips and secrets that guarantee success. You end up having to try any and every permutation of conditions and ingredients. You are never quite sure which of the many factors is really significant, how they act with and against one another, and so on. To sort out all those variables requires carefully designed trials. This is basic experimentation at its toughest and, if you succeed, at its best. For every experiment that worked, there were probably hundreds that failed."

[S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book should be entirely accessible to someone who just finished high school biology. But if you're like me and it's been a while you might need to push a little because Venter doesn't spend more than a line or two on the basics before moving on and building on the foundation. It's dense. Be warned.

That said he's a better writer than many scientists are and does a good job of not only explaining his research (constructing a synthetic copy of a complete bacterial genome and getting it to replicate) but putting that research into a larger historical, ethical, and scientific context.

For all that I read tons of science fiction it rarely grapples with the questions of biotech and when it does it's barely credible and little more than entertaining fear-mongering (looking at you Atwood).

It's from reading nonfiction like this that I've become convinced we have a massive cultural blindspot, as the advances in this field will most likely be the next big watershed in human culture, as disruptive to our lives as the internet has been.

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book (from what I understood). There is a fair amount of science jargon, but not so much that the lay person is overwhelmed.

Basically, there are some companies creating synthetic DNA for a variety of purposes, including vaccines, cancer-targeting viruses, and other such benevolent things.

More interesting is the ability to "transport" life across time and space. Not in the Star Trek sense, but in transferring the data necessary to recreate the DNA so it can be used at the other end. This, looking forward, could have a variety of uses. Like transmitting vaccines or other medicines to colonists on other planets (e.g. Mars). Or beaming DNA samples back to Earth from exploratory missions (instead of taking much longer (and expense) to physically bring it back). But, like many science frontier-pushing, one must ask: where is the "should we be doing this" question?

[Philipp · Rating 4 out of 5]

A history of modern genomics with a foray into a relatively new field, synthetic biology, here Venter summarizes his work on microbial genomes, later on the human genome and on creating new life out of existing microbes. He's a great writer when it comes to scientific details, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to high school students interested in going into the field, or lay people interested in recent developments. Did you know Venter was involved in the development of Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs)? I didn't, and yet I used them in my BSc-thesis!

Some people (Creationists?) might be put off by his very mechanistic view, proteins are machines, DNA is software, cells are assembly lines. I'm not.

[Philippe Dame · Rating 3 out of 5]

In short, it's worth reading but the author could easily have been spared us the ultra-specific details on each scientific advancement he and his team made in synthetic biology. The fact that DNA can be sequenced, digitized, transmitted and then synthetically re-created is absolutely astonishing. It makes the Dolly sheep cloning seem like child's play. Its implications on science, policy and religion are all very interesting. I just didn't need the step by step how-to lesson. Those well versed in chemistry and biology, however, will probably love this level of detail.

[Muhammad al-Khwarizmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

J. Craig Venter is a visionary but at times his writing is clouded. I would have easily given this work four stars if it were not for this fact. On the other hand, though reputedly egotistical, Venter's work is replete with pointers to the achievements of countless others, such as BioBricks, just as it is to what he and associated researchers have accomplished. These references can become a strong part of the basis for further learning and are, in themselves, a very good reason to get this book.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Been slowly ticking through this as an audiobook. Pretty heavy unless you're into the topic I guess. Fascinating read, particularly around the creation of synthetic DNA and the first computer "parent". It leaves you somewhat challenged or possibly confronted about where this is heading.

[Lloyd Downey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is actually a review of the Blinkist summary of the book.....so maybe slightly unfair to Venter (Did he actually take the time to write the book? Or was there a ghost-writer?). Much of the content ..such as the history of DNA and Schrodinger's "What is life" were familiar to me. I guess the main new thing for e was the idea of being able to teleport the code to Mars (or anywhere else) and re-assemble the molecules there. For example, producing a new antibiotic on a Mars Colony. Though it does assume the you will have all the gear there to do this.
For me, the book was interesting but not an essential read so i will probably not indulge by reading the full text.
But here are a few nuggets from the summary (ie a summary of the summary).
The study of biology asks one profound, powerful question: “What is life?”
Schrödinger was one of the first thinkers to suggest that everything that happens in a cell
German chemist Friedrich Wöhler.....chemically synthesized urea, the primary component of urine.....the first product that was normally only produced by living creatures.....it created a stir.
But the question of whether we can produce life artificially is no longer as pressing as it once was. Today, the question is whether we should. Plenty of people fear the potential dangers involved in “playing god.”
Today, the fields of chemistry, biology and computing have come together to give rise to modern genomics and genetic science.
In the 1970s, gene splicing made a huge leap forward. While early experiments involved only simple viruses, scientists in 1972 performed the first gene splice using more complex bacteria.
As DNA is the code of life, RNA is its delivery boy, transporting code from DNA to the ribosomes, or the cellular protein factories that put amino acids into the correct order to produce proteins.
the author founded The Institute for Genomic Research, the world’s biggest DNA-sequencing laboratory.
For the experiment, the team chose a “simple” virus called Phi X 174. This virus infects bacteria, and is called a bacteriophage. Phi X 174 had been used in various experiments for more than 40 years, and so was well-known in the genetics community. Phi X 174’s simple structure (with only 11 genes) resulted in the virus being the first to be genetically sequenced, as well as the first to have its genome copied. All this made Phi X 174 a perfect candidate virus for the team’s attempts to synthesize a complete chromosome.
In a mere two weeks, the team was able to prove that synthetic DNA, chemically built from computer code, contained the information necessary to produce a virus!
would it be possible then to synthesize a much more complicated
The team sought out the tiniest-known genome that is part of a living, self-replicating cell, called Mycoplasma genitalium. This tiny bacterium causes urinary tract infections in humans.
After painstakingly examining the DNA sequence and identifying the team’s watermark, they announced the successful, synthetic production of a bacterial genome.
The team abandoned M. genitalium in favor of a newly acquired synthetic genome from M. mycoides. This rapidly reproducing bacterium allowed them to review results within days.
However, things didn’t go as planned. With DNA sequencing, even the smallest errors can be fatal.
A closer look revealed the culprit: a miniscule, one-letter deletion in the base pair DNA sequencing. This seemingly small mistake threw off everything that followed it.
The team caught the error and corrected the sequence. The subsequent transplants went off without a hitch, and made genetics history in the process: the first living, self-replicating species to have a computer for a parent!
getting people to agree on what constitutes “life” is no easy task.
Technological advances have enabled homemade versions of lab tools, and open-source information might make it possible for nearly anybody to mess with the “software” of life. For example, bioterrorists could learn to produce potentially lethal germs, such as the bacteria that causes the bubonic plague, which killed tens of millions of people in the Middle Ages.
Building on their work using computer code to generate living organisms, the author’s team has been exploring ways to turn genetic information into electromagnetic waves capable of traveling great distances.
For instance, you could teleport the DNA of the Martian bacteria to a lab on earth, where scientists could devise and then teleport back an antibiotic.
But soon we may have robotically controlled genome sequencers that can read the DNA of any microbe and send the information straight back to laboratories on earth,
Modern biology has discovered life’s secrets, and they’re found in our DNA. Geneticists have in recent years unlocked the tools to manipulate, copy and even digitize genetic code, thereby opening up futuristic possibilities, such as transmitting DNA online or teleporting genetic code from Mars.
So, intgeresting but not essential reading for me. three stars from me.

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highlights:

Since this discovery, a rift has opened. On one side stands those who believe that “life” is determined exclusively by cellular processes or physical and chemical reactions – nothing more. On the other are individuals who adhere to the idea of vitalism, which postulates that life is dependant on a “soul” or some vital function that animates it.

Today, the fields of chemistry, biology and computing have come together to give rise to modern genomics and genetic science.

Scientists' discovery of how to manipulate DNA transformed the field of genetics.

Scientists discovered that by using certain proteins, one can essentially “cut” and then “paste” together bits of DNA. These unique proteins, called restriction enzymes, were first discovered in bacteria in the 1960s.

The enzymes serve as the chemical “scissors” to slice a piece of DNA out of a strand, creating a gap that can then be filled with a new piece of DNA.This process is called gene splicing.

As DNA is the code of life, RNA is its delivery boy, transporting code from DNA to the ribosomes, or the cellular protein factories that put amino acids into the correct order to produce proteins.

A crucial experiment led to the creation of chemical DNA and paved the way for synthetic life.

As part of the 2003 experiment, the team fed their painstakingly sequenced DNA of the Phi X 174 virus into a computer. The automated DNA synthesizers then reproduced the code chemically.

In 2007, the author’s team produced the first synthetic genome of a living organism.

The team achieved an astonishing feat – they’d synthesized a virus, confirming that synthetic DNA could be activated.

By transplanting synthetic DNA into a cell, the first organism with a computer “parent” was created.

During the final run, the team began turning up negative results – the bacterium wasn’t growing. A closer look revealed the culprit: a miniscule, one-letter deletion in the base pair DNA sequencing. This seemingly small mistake threw off everything that followed it.

The team caught the error and corrected the sequence. The subsequent transplants went off without a hitch, and made genetics history in the process: the first living, self-replicating species to have a computer for a parent!

As the newly inserted DNA was activated, it began creating cell colonies that were controlled only by the synthetic genome. And because the team remembered to watermark their work, they even went as far as to encode the lab’s email address in the synthetic DNA sequence!

They’d digitized biology by turning DNA’s chemical analog code into the digital code of a computer; and from this, rebuilt the chemical information into a molecule of DNA to make original, living cells.

Teleportation isn’t just for Star Trek; soon we’ll send DNA code from planet to planet.

If these experiments are successful, we’ll be able to send at lightspeed information required for building life – essentially biological teleportation.

#eBook
#Hörbücher

[W.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synthbio. Synthbio. Synthbio.

The miracles and nightmares of our species are going to be writ much larger in the daily headlines with the remarkable advances occurring now in synthetic biology.

You hear so many noted scientists saying the greatest threat to human existence will be artificial intelligence. Well, I'd put my money on synthetic biology. As the technology becomes more and more affordable and gets into the hands of so many people, the risk of near human extinction increases exponentially. It might not have seemed important at the time that the genome of the extinguished smallpox virus was published in a scientific journal. But it may seem terribly important later that this killer code and the affordable new tools of synthbio will be available to anyone who decides to resurrect that as a Lazarus entity, or to produce and release any other highly controlled and dangerous microbe once hard to come by, or to custom-make one for a new bespoke pandemic. There could be a new pandemic to rival SARS-CoV-2 every month. And this is total reality, not science fiction. Not Jurassic Park. Because Craig Venter and his team booted up a synthetic organism from the ground (guanine, cytosine, adenine, thymine...and uracil) and quashed the ages-old myth of vitalism. And if they could do that in a relatively short span of time and streamline the process for others who will follow in their footsteps, just think what might be coming next.

This book is a document relating in granular detail the experiments and trials which led to that so-far nonpareil achievement. I'm impressed with Venter's ability to write humbly about his achievements and contextualize them for us by giving us an encyclopedic history of the earlier scientific discoveries and advances which allowed this to happen. He gives credit century by century, scientist by scientist. And he credits the hard work of his various teams and lists their respective accomplishments. In seeking a single lofty goal, Venter and his team developed methodologies usable in other contexts of synthetic biology. This book is not a humble brag. This book is a casebook on the understanding of what life is. And it is impeccably sourced and written with a succinctness that amazes me.

If you read only a few scientific books, I would strongly recommend adding this to your reading list. I realize that a book written in this field is usually outdated within a year of its publication these days, but this book is the notable exception. This is a riveting account of one of the most important scientific achievements of our day. But if it doesn't leave you feeling trepidation and give you a sense of the importance of oversight in this burgeoning field, you're not really gauging what is happening and what is at stake. You can see the critical mass point of dangerous knowledge in the offing. And it's all so temptingly open-source to all the wrong people.

[STEPHEN PLETKO!! · Rating 4 out of 5]

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REVEALING THE BIRTH OF A NEW ERA OF SCIENCE, ONE AT THE NEXUS OF BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY

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"[This book] is intended to describe the incredible progress that we have made. In the span of a single lifespan, we have advanced...to an understanding...that DNA is the software of life.

This [book] builds on tremendous advances over the last half century, made by a range of...gifted individuals throughout the world. I will provide an overview of these developments in molecular and synthetic biology...

My aim is not to offer a comprehensive history of synthetic biology but to shed a little light on the power of that extraordinarily cooperative venture we call science."

The above quote (in italics) comes from this very interesting book by J. Craig Venter. He is a biologist and entrepreneur. Venter was one of the first to sequence the human genome (all of the genetic information) in humans. He is the founder of Celera Genomics, the Institute of Genomic Research, and the J. Craig Venter Institute. Venter is the recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees, including the 2008 U.S. National Medal of Science.

Venter opens this book with the question "What is life?" He asserts that life is reducible to the "DNA machines" and "protein robots" that operates within cells and hopes to prove it by constructing synthetic organisms from scratch.

On May 20, 2010, headlines around the world announced one of the most extraordinary accomplishments in modern science: the creation of the world's first synthetic life-form. In other words, Venter had achieved his goal.

("Synthetic life [or artificial life is] self-replicating biology based in a synthetic genome, a synthetic code-script.")

In this book , Venter shares the dramatic account of how he led his team of scientists to this pioneering effort of synthetic genomics--and details how that work will have a profound impact on humanity in the future.

Venter does a good job in tracing the history of key discoveries in genetics along the way. The science described in this book is impeccable.

A major strength of this book is the portrayal of the scientific process, all the false starts, unexpected problems, and improvised solutions. Venter does not shy away from discussing the setbacks his team faced before his synthetic cell came to life.

Finally, there are a few problems with this book. There is too much technical detail that may scare off the casual reader. Thus, a good glossary would have been helpful. (The good news here is that you don't have to understand all the scientific technicalities to appreciate this book.) As well, illustrations would have been beneficial, thereby reducing this book's wordiness.

Bottom line: this book offers an insider's view of one of science's hottest new fields!!

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(2013; 12 chapter; main narrative 185 pages; acknowledgements; notes; index)

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[Jina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Steven Gubser ruined me with his Little Book on String Theory. It was a major chore reading this piece. Why? Because there was maybe one important piece of information every 2-3 pages. The bulk of this book is Venter naming other scientists, listing all that they accomplished, where they studied, when they got a Nobel prize as well as unnecessary backstories including about who all he bumped elbows with, as if name dropping adds credibility to his field of study. I’d find myself desperately trying to weed through all of the useless information, not sure all too sure what the real take-away from the last few pages was supposed to be. I much prefer Steven Gubser’s style of writing - forgoing all of the bulk, keeping things simple, and constantly recapping what the reader should be learning. As a reader, you also get the impression that Venter is really salty towards anything even remotely religious and, while denies any claims of trying to be a form of “god,” is clearly driven to disprove there is any such thing through creating synthetic life. There is a great study in here, but it’s almost more of a scientific article mixed with personal diary entries and cluttered with repetitive details that ultimately are not needed, as if the only people who were going to be reading it were his peers whom he is desperately trying to indirectly impress.

[Blaine Wajdowicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have on the book shelf of any reader of biology/scientific texts.

Life as a set of information, instructions to dictate the synthesis and activation of proteins (along with replication of these instructions) is a fascinating insight into biology that side steps political rhetoric. Dr Venter details through collaboration of the private sector (such as his company and institute) along with the public (NIH) the progress up to 2012 of application of the knowledge of these instructions as well as future utilization to include vaccine development in pandemics such as H1N1, planetary exploration, and therapeutic bacteriophage deployment in an age of increasing antibiotic resistance. I also appreciate the author’s brief but insightful discussion on the ethics of application of this information, including how to frame the ethical imperative of utilizing the benefits of genetic sequencing and how to consistently seek ethical review on application of this information.

Stunning to think how, reading this ten years later, the information here may be outdated. This was personally a reminiscent journey into the history of genomics I studied in a high school Honors DNA Science class and undergraduate Microbiology course.

[Federico Pacheco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es un ensayo que informa del estado del arte y las perspectivas que ofrece la manipulación genética. Buena parte del libro se centra en los descubrimientos y equipos que han llevado la biotecnología a su estado actual. La decodificación de genomas y la carrera por abarcar tamaños cada vez más grandes.
Quizás es un bombardeo excesivo de información para el lego en la materia. Equipos, fechas y bastantes tecnicismos dificulta fijarse en las peculiaridades de cada hallazgo. No obstante, es una lectura amena y ofrece información interesante.
El que uno pueda asimilarla y retenerla o no, eso ya queda para cada uno. En mi caso, tengo bastante claro que no podré, pero me quedará el poso de que si quiero buena información sobre el ADN y cómo se ha conseguido replicar, estudiar, y transplantar de una célula a otra, éste es un buen libro al que recurrir.

[Stephen Yoder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gateway book. Now that Venter and his team have basically figured out how to treat DNA like software (digitizing DNA from an organism, modifying it in a computer, then using that data to create synthetic DNA which they then injected into yeast cells w/o DNA, thereby creating a new microorganism) there are so many possibilities (both positive and negative) that are available to science.
Some of this work has been simply grueling, but it has resulted in something incredible -- a synthetic lifeform.
Combine this with 3D printing and the options are mind-bending.
Definitely a book to lend to a smart neighbor, which I have done.

[mohamed ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad read. Could do with the following:

1) Diagrams do not devalue a book, would have mediated many of the methods very efficiently.
2) A lot of predictions about the future without basis, seems premature and diverges from the narration of the scientific chain of events.
3) Author missed a big opportunity to discuss qualitative simulations of biology using first principles in physics - a large area of study that he's disregarded. Blows his own trumpet and

[Daniel Fell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book filled with everything theoretical to practical including life on Mars to curing diseases to teleportation. I think I understood a third of it (and I have a degree in biology) but it's well written and appropriate for anyone interested in the building blocks of life as well as how we are building and enhancing life one genetic block at a time.

[Jule · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not worth the time if you have a degree in this field. Reading his publications would be a better usage of time.
For non-biologists it´s maybe a 3 star book, but stil Venter should focus on writing scientific publication instead of books.
His style is just exhausting, but I respect all the hardships he has gone trough and the fact that he never gave up.