Bio Bytes

As the famous English novelist Lewis Carroll once said, “imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality”. For decades this has been true of science fiction books, films and TV series. These stories have captivated our imagination and fuelled our inner child as we dream up scenarios that are seemingly impossible to place in reality. So many children around the world grow up wishing they could swing a lightsaber, were receiving a letter on their 11th birthday inviting them to Hogwarts, or could travel through time and space. I was no exception to this.

Whilst these ideas still seem firmly routed in science fiction, it is amazing how many have foreshadowed reality with surprising accuracy. Think for example of a touchscreen devices, or video calling, first introduced to screens in the 1960s in The Jetsons. We rarely stop to think about how these everyday items were unimaginable concepts to people like you and me, even as little as 60 years ago. When thinking of sci-fi, our brain normally conjures up images of technology and electronics, which for the most part is how it is depicted in media. However, it is these same advancements in technology that have also enabled breakthroughs in biology and medicine, which is where my curiosity and excitement about the future lies today.

At school I studied Maths, Physics and Biology for A-Level and I always thought I would do engineering at University. One day I remember deciding to attend a biology lecture outside of school hours because I thought it would look good on my personal statement which I needed to apply to University. Little did I realise that this lecture would capture my imagination and drive my curiosity to this day. The lecture was the reason I studied biology, and the reason I have stayed adjacent to the field in my professional career.

The lecturer started by outlining the different “modern human eras” as they saw it in their mind. They described how advancements in science & technology drove societal progression, as better ways of doing thing were discovered. This all starts with what is commonly referred to as the first manufacturing age: the industrial age. Following this was the machine age with the invention of engines and the discovery and extraction of oil from the ground. The invention of the nuclear bomb resulted in the nuclear age which also coincided with the space age as mankind dreamed to live amongst the stars. A bit later, the invention of the internet led to the information age where people began to be more connected and started to move online. Many would argue we are still in the information age, which has moved to the internet age where information is very readily available and people are better informed and educated as a result. Although you often debate how true this is the more you read the news. The lecturer argued that we are starting to move towards another true manufacturing age, this one called the Biological age.

This is no small statement as a new manufacturing ages change everything. They change the way people earn a living, and what jobs are available. They change the dominant nations in the world and can even reshape whole industrial sectors. Think about how the UK was more of a dominant worldwide force during the Industrial age, and how big tech based in the USA is currently dominating the global markets. The emergence of AI and supercomputers are also making it easier and cheaper to find novel drug targets, whilst CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing is allowing humans to essentially play God and re-structure genetic code. The very code of life. When you take a step back to realise what this means, you start to understand that there is really no limit to your imagination becoming a reality. In fact, often the limit is morals and ethics, not if the technology exists or not.

This got me thinking about how these breakthroughs and new technologies could be harnessed to improve the world. Imagine walking home at night down a street lined with trees where all the leaves glowed in the dark, helping fix an energy crisis whilst also keeping you safer. Imagine a bush/ tree that rapidly grew into a 4-walled structure and could generate new rooms, providing a more affordable form of housing. Furthermore, imagine a plant with rapid regenerative properties that was constantly healing. This material could be used to pave roads, eliminating potholes and reducing maintenance efforts and costs.

Whilst it is fun dreaming up these seemingly far-fecthed ideas, you would be surprised to learn how close they actually are to reality. I hope to shed light on some of the up-and-coming technologies and companies who are dreaming big and turning science fiction into reality. Hopefully the world will be a better place because of it.