Biology Is Technology

Biology Is Technology

Author: Robert H. Carlson

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2011-04-15

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 0674053621

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“Essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand the current state of biotechnology and the opportunities and dangers it may create.” —American Scientist Technology is a process and a body of knowledge as much as a collection of artifacts. Biology is no different—and we are just beginning to comprehend the challenges inherent in the next stage of biology as a human technology. It is this critical moment, with its wide-ranging implications, that Robert Carlson considers in Biology Is Technology. He offers a uniquely informed perspective on the endeavors that contribute to current progress in this area—the science of biological systems and the technology used to manipulate them. In a number of case studies, Carlson demonstrates that the development of new mathematical, computational, and laboratory tools will facilitate the engineering of biological artifacts—up to and including organisms and ecosystems. Exploring how this will happen, with reference to past technological advances, he explains how objects are constructed virtually, tested using sophisticated mathematical models, and finally constructed in the real world. Such rapid increases in the power, availability, and application of biotechnology raise obvious questions about who gets to use it, and to what end. Carlson’s thoughtful analysis offers rare insight into our choices about how to develop biological technologies and how these choices will determine the pace and effectiveness of innovation as a public good.


Book Synopsis Biology Is Technology by : Robert H. Carlson

Download or read book Biology Is Technology written by Robert H. Carlson and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2011-04-15 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand the current state of biotechnology and the opportunities and dangers it may create.” —American Scientist Technology is a process and a body of knowledge as much as a collection of artifacts. Biology is no different—and we are just beginning to comprehend the challenges inherent in the next stage of biology as a human technology. It is this critical moment, with its wide-ranging implications, that Robert Carlson considers in Biology Is Technology. He offers a uniquely informed perspective on the endeavors that contribute to current progress in this area—the science of biological systems and the technology used to manipulate them. In a number of case studies, Carlson demonstrates that the development of new mathematical, computational, and laboratory tools will facilitate the engineering of biological artifacts—up to and including organisms and ecosystems. Exploring how this will happen, with reference to past technological advances, he explains how objects are constructed virtually, tested using sophisticated mathematical models, and finally constructed in the real world. Such rapid increases in the power, availability, and application of biotechnology raise obvious questions about who gets to use it, and to what end. Carlson’s thoughtful analysis offers rare insight into our choices about how to develop biological technologies and how these choices will determine the pace and effectiveness of innovation as a public good.


Digital Biology

Digital Biology

Author: Peter J. Bentley

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2010-05-11

Total Pages: 407

ISBN-13: 0743238168

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Imagine a future world where computers can create universes -- digital environments made from binary ones and zeros. Imagine that within these universes there exist biological forms that reproduce, grow, and think. Imagine plantlike forms, ant colonies, immune systems, and brains, all adapting, evolving, and getting better at solving problems. Imagine if our computers became greenhouses for a new kind of nature. Just think what digital biology could do for us. Perhaps it could evolve new designs for us, think up ways to detect fraud using digital neurons, or solve scheduling problems with ants. Perhaps it could detect hackers with immune systems or create music from the patterns of growth of digital seashells. Perhaps it would allow our computers to become creative and inventive. Now stop imagining. digital biology is an intriguing glimpse into the future of technology by one of the most creative thinkers working in computer science today. As Peter J. Bentley explains, the next giant step in computing technology is already under way as computer scientists attempt to create digital universes that replicate the natural world. Within these digital universes, we will evolve solutions to problems, construct digital brains that can learn and think, and use immune systems to trap and destroy computer viruses. The biological world is the model for the next generation of computer software. By adapting the principles of biology, computer scientists will make it possible for computers to function as the natural world does. In practical terms, this will mean that we will soon have "smart" devices, such as houses that will keep the temperature as we like it and automobiles that will start only for drivers they recognize (through voice recognition or other systems) and that will navigate highways safely and with maximum fuel efficiency. Computers will soon be powerful enough and small enough that they can become part of clothing. "Digital agents" will be able to help us find a bank or restaurant in a city that we have never visited before, even as we walk through the airport. Miniature robots may even be incorporated into our bodies to monitor our health. Digital Biology is also an exploration of biology itself from a new perspective. We must understand how nature works in its most intimate detail before we can use these same biological processes inside our computers. Already scientists engaged in this work have gained new insights into the elegant simplicity of the natural universe. This is a visionary book, written in accessible, nontechnical language, that explains how cutting-edge computer science will shape our world in the coming decades.


Book Synopsis Digital Biology by : Peter J. Bentley

Download or read book Digital Biology written by Peter J. Bentley and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-05-11 with total page 407 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Imagine a future world where computers can create universes -- digital environments made from binary ones and zeros. Imagine that within these universes there exist biological forms that reproduce, grow, and think. Imagine plantlike forms, ant colonies, immune systems, and brains, all adapting, evolving, and getting better at solving problems. Imagine if our computers became greenhouses for a new kind of nature. Just think what digital biology could do for us. Perhaps it could evolve new designs for us, think up ways to detect fraud using digital neurons, or solve scheduling problems with ants. Perhaps it could detect hackers with immune systems or create music from the patterns of growth of digital seashells. Perhaps it would allow our computers to become creative and inventive. Now stop imagining. digital biology is an intriguing glimpse into the future of technology by one of the most creative thinkers working in computer science today. As Peter J. Bentley explains, the next giant step in computing technology is already under way as computer scientists attempt to create digital universes that replicate the natural world. Within these digital universes, we will evolve solutions to problems, construct digital brains that can learn and think, and use immune systems to trap and destroy computer viruses. The biological world is the model for the next generation of computer software. By adapting the principles of biology, computer scientists will make it possible for computers to function as the natural world does. In practical terms, this will mean that we will soon have "smart" devices, such as houses that will keep the temperature as we like it and automobiles that will start only for drivers they recognize (through voice recognition or other systems) and that will navigate highways safely and with maximum fuel efficiency. Computers will soon be powerful enough and small enough that they can become part of clothing. "Digital agents" will be able to help us find a bank or restaurant in a city that we have never visited before, even as we walk through the airport. Miniature robots may even be incorporated into our bodies to monitor our health. Digital Biology is also an exploration of biology itself from a new perspective. We must understand how nature works in its most intimate detail before we can use these same biological processes inside our computers. Already scientists engaged in this work have gained new insights into the elegant simplicity of the natural universe. This is a visionary book, written in accessible, nontechnical language, that explains how cutting-edge computer science will shape our world in the coming decades.


The Age of Living Machines: How Biology Will Build the Next Technology Revolution

The Age of Living Machines: How Biology Will Build the Next Technology Revolution

Author: Susan Hockfield

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Published: 2019-05-07

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 0393634752

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From the former president of MIT, the story of the next technology revolution, and how it will change our lives. A century ago, discoveries in physics came together with engineering to produce an array of astonishing new technologies: radios, telephones, televisions, aircraft, radar, nuclear power, computers, the Internet, and a host of still-evolving digital tools. These technologies so radically reshaped our world that we can no longer conceive of life without them. Today, the world’s population is projected to rise to well over 9.5 billion by 2050, and we are currently faced with the consequences of producing the energy that fuels, heats, and cools us. With temperatures and sea levels rising, and large portions of the globe plagued with drought, famine, and drug-resistant diseases, we need new technologies to tackle these problems. But we are on the cusp of a new convergence, argues world-renowned neuroscientist Susan Hockfield, with discoveries in biology coming together with engineering to produce another array of almost inconceivable technologies—next-generation products that have the potential to be every bit as paradigm shifting as the twentieth century’s digital wonders. The Age of Living Machines describes some of the most exciting new developments and the scientists and engineers who helped create them. Virus-built batteries. Protein-based water filters. Cancer-detecting nanoparticles. Mind-reading bionic limbs. Computer-engineered crops. Together they highlight the promise of the technology revolution of the twenty-first century to overcome some of the greatest humanitarian, medical, and environmental challenges of our time.


Book Synopsis The Age of Living Machines: How Biology Will Build the Next Technology Revolution by : Susan Hockfield

Download or read book The Age of Living Machines: How Biology Will Build the Next Technology Revolution written by Susan Hockfield and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2019-05-07 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the former president of MIT, the story of the next technology revolution, and how it will change our lives. A century ago, discoveries in physics came together with engineering to produce an array of astonishing new technologies: radios, telephones, televisions, aircraft, radar, nuclear power, computers, the Internet, and a host of still-evolving digital tools. These technologies so radically reshaped our world that we can no longer conceive of life without them. Today, the world’s population is projected to rise to well over 9.5 billion by 2050, and we are currently faced with the consequences of producing the energy that fuels, heats, and cools us. With temperatures and sea levels rising, and large portions of the globe plagued with drought, famine, and drug-resistant diseases, we need new technologies to tackle these problems. But we are on the cusp of a new convergence, argues world-renowned neuroscientist Susan Hockfield, with discoveries in biology coming together with engineering to produce another array of almost inconceivable technologies—next-generation products that have the potential to be every bit as paradigm shifting as the twentieth century’s digital wonders. The Age of Living Machines describes some of the most exciting new developments and the scientists and engineers who helped create them. Virus-built batteries. Protein-based water filters. Cancer-detecting nanoparticles. Mind-reading bionic limbs. Computer-engineered crops. Together they highlight the promise of the technology revolution of the twenty-first century to overcome some of the greatest humanitarian, medical, and environmental challenges of our time.


Trends in Stem Cell Biology and Technology

Trends in Stem Cell Biology and Technology

Author: Hossein Baharvand

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2009-06-02

Total Pages: 420

ISBN-13: 1603279040

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The study of stem cell research has recently gained the attention from a growing, multidisciplinary community of scientist; this exponential growth of interest is driven by the hope of discovering cures for several diseases through transplantation medicine. Trends in Stem Cells Biology and Technology aptly serves this developing community as it reveals new aspects of stem cell research by specifically covering studies focused on spermatogonial stem cells, uniparental embryonic stem cell lines, the generation of gametes from stem cells, reprogramming germ cells to stem cells, nuclear and somatic cell genetic reprogramming, tissue engineering and mechanotransduction of stem cells and finally the development of stem cell technologies for the treatment of deafness, heart disease, corneal injury and diabetes. With contributions by leading scientists and renowned scholars, Trends in Stem Cells Biology and Technology offers a wide audience cutting edge information at a crucial time in this ever expanding field.


Book Synopsis Trends in Stem Cell Biology and Technology by : Hossein Baharvand

Download or read book Trends in Stem Cell Biology and Technology written by Hossein Baharvand and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-06-02 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The study of stem cell research has recently gained the attention from a growing, multidisciplinary community of scientist; this exponential growth of interest is driven by the hope of discovering cures for several diseases through transplantation medicine. Trends in Stem Cells Biology and Technology aptly serves this developing community as it reveals new aspects of stem cell research by specifically covering studies focused on spermatogonial stem cells, uniparental embryonic stem cell lines, the generation of gametes from stem cells, reprogramming germ cells to stem cells, nuclear and somatic cell genetic reprogramming, tissue engineering and mechanotransduction of stem cells and finally the development of stem cell technologies for the treatment of deafness, heart disease, corneal injury and diabetes. With contributions by leading scientists and renowned scholars, Trends in Stem Cells Biology and Technology offers a wide audience cutting edge information at a crucial time in this ever expanding field.


A Computer Scientist's Guide to Cell Biology

A Computer Scientist's Guide to Cell Biology

Author: William W. Cohen

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2007-07-23

Total Pages: 104

ISBN-13: 0387482784

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This book is designed specifically as a guide for Computer Scientists needing an introduction to Cell Biology. The text explores three different facets of biology: biological systems, experimental methods, and language and nomenclature. The author discusses what biologists are trying to determine from their experiments, how various experimental procedures are used and how they relate to accepted concepts in computer science, and the vocabulary necessary to read and understand current literature in biology. The book is an invaluable reference tool and an excellent starting point for a more comprehensive examination of cell biology.


Book Synopsis A Computer Scientist's Guide to Cell Biology by : William W. Cohen

Download or read book A Computer Scientist's Guide to Cell Biology written by William W. Cohen and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-07-23 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is designed specifically as a guide for Computer Scientists needing an introduction to Cell Biology. The text explores three different facets of biology: biological systems, experimental methods, and language and nomenclature. The author discusses what biologists are trying to determine from their experiments, how various experimental procedures are used and how they relate to accepted concepts in computer science, and the vocabulary necessary to read and understand current literature in biology. The book is an invaluable reference tool and an excellent starting point for a more comprehensive examination of cell biology.


Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages

Author: David R. Harper

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-01-30

Total Pages: 1376

ISBN-13: 3319419862

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This first major reference work dedicated to the mannifold industrial and medical applications of bacteriophages provides both theoretical and practical insights into the emerging field of bacteriophage biotechnology. The book introduces to bacteriophage biology, ecology and history and reviews the latest technologies and tools in bacteriophage detection, strain optimization and nanotechnology. Usage of bacteriophages in food safety, agriculture, and different therapeutic areas is discussed in detail. This book serves as essential guide for researchers in applied microbiology, biotechnology and medicine coming from both academia and industry.


Book Synopsis Bacteriophages by : David R. Harper

Download or read book Bacteriophages written by David R. Harper and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-01-30 with total page 1376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This first major reference work dedicated to the mannifold industrial and medical applications of bacteriophages provides both theoretical and practical insights into the emerging field of bacteriophage biotechnology. The book introduces to bacteriophage biology, ecology and history and reviews the latest technologies and tools in bacteriophage detection, strain optimization and nanotechnology. Usage of bacteriophages in food safety, agriculture, and different therapeutic areas is discussed in detail. This book serves as essential guide for researchers in applied microbiology, biotechnology and medicine coming from both academia and industry.


Database Technology for Life Sciences and Medicine

Database Technology for Life Sciences and Medicine

Author: Claudia Plant

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 389

ISBN-13: 981430770X

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This book presents innovative approaches from database researchers supporting the challenging process of knowledge discovery in biomedicine. Ranging from how to effectively store and organize biomedical data via data quality and case studies to sophisticated data mining methods, this book provides the state-of-the-art of database technology for life sciences and medicine. A valuable source of information for experts in life sciences who want to be updated about the possibilities of database technology in their field, this volume will also be inspiring for students and researchers in informatics who are keen to contribute to this emerging field of interdisciplinary research.


Book Synopsis Database Technology for Life Sciences and Medicine by : Claudia Plant

Download or read book Database Technology for Life Sciences and Medicine written by Claudia Plant and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2010 with total page 389 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents innovative approaches from database researchers supporting the challenging process of knowledge discovery in biomedicine. Ranging from how to effectively store and organize biomedical data via data quality and case studies to sophisticated data mining methods, this book provides the state-of-the-art of database technology for life sciences and medicine. A valuable source of information for experts in life sciences who want to be updated about the possibilities of database technology in their field, this volume will also be inspiring for students and researchers in informatics who are keen to contribute to this emerging field of interdisciplinary research.


Human Stem Cell Technology and Biology

Human Stem Cell Technology and Biology

Author: Gary S. Stein

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2011-03-04

Total Pages: 439

ISBN-13: 0470889896

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Human Stem Cell Technology & Biology: A Research Guide and Laboratory Manual integrates readily accessible text, electronic and video components with the aim of effectively communicating the critical information needed to understand and culture human embryonic stem cells. Key Features: An authoritative, comprehensive, multimedia training manual for stem cell researchers Easy to follow step-by-step laboratory protocols and instructional videos provide a valuable resource A must-have for developing laboratory course curriculums, training courses, and workshops in stem cell biology Perspectives written by the world leaders in the field Introductory chapters will provide background information The volume will be a valuable reference resource for both experienced investigators pursuing stem cell and induced pluripotent stem cell research as well as those new to this field.


Book Synopsis Human Stem Cell Technology and Biology by : Gary S. Stein

Download or read book Human Stem Cell Technology and Biology written by Gary S. Stein and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-03-04 with total page 439 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human Stem Cell Technology & Biology: A Research Guide and Laboratory Manual integrates readily accessible text, electronic and video components with the aim of effectively communicating the critical information needed to understand and culture human embryonic stem cells. Key Features: An authoritative, comprehensive, multimedia training manual for stem cell researchers Easy to follow step-by-step laboratory protocols and instructional videos provide a valuable resource A must-have for developing laboratory course curriculums, training courses, and workshops in stem cell biology Perspectives written by the world leaders in the field Introductory chapters will provide background information The volume will be a valuable reference resource for both experienced investigators pursuing stem cell and induced pluripotent stem cell research as well as those new to this field.


Biology and Political Science

Biology and Political Science

Author: Robert Blank

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2002-03-11

Total Pages: 379

ISBN-13: 1134629052

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This book demonstrates the increasing interest of some social scientists in the theories, research and findings of life sciences in building a more interdisciplinary approach to the study of politics. It discusses the development of biopolitics as an academic perspective within political science, reviews the growing literature in the field and presents a coherent view of biopolitics as a framework for structuring inquiry across the current subfields of political science.


Book Synopsis Biology and Political Science by : Robert Blank

Download or read book Biology and Political Science written by Robert Blank and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2002-03-11 with total page 379 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book demonstrates the increasing interest of some social scientists in the theories, research and findings of life sciences in building a more interdisciplinary approach to the study of politics. It discusses the development of biopolitics as an academic perspective within political science, reviews the growing literature in the field and presents a coherent view of biopolitics as a framework for structuring inquiry across the current subfields of political science.


Opportunities in Biology

Opportunities in Biology

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies

Published: 1989-01-01

Total Pages: 471

ISBN-13: 0309039274

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Biology has entered an era in which interdisciplinary cooperation is at an all-time high, practical applications follow basic discoveries more quickly than ever before, and new technologiesâ€"recombinant DNA, scanning tunneling microscopes, and moreâ€"are revolutionizing the way science is conducted. The potential for scientific breakthroughs with significant implications for society has never been greater. Opportunities in Biology reports on the state of the new biology, taking a detailed look at the disciplines of biology; examining the advances made in medicine, agriculture, and other fields; and pointing out promising research opportunities. Authored by an expert panel representing a variety of viewpoints, this volume also offers recommendations on how to meet the infrastructure needsâ€"for funding, effective information systems, and other supportâ€"of future biology research. Exploring what has been accomplished and what is on the horizon, Opportunities in Biology is an indispensable resource for students, teachers, and researchers in all subdisciplines of biology as well as for research administrators and those in funding agencies.


Book Synopsis Opportunities in Biology by : National Research Council

Download or read book Opportunities in Biology written by National Research Council and published by National Academies. This book was released on 1989-01-01 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biology has entered an era in which interdisciplinary cooperation is at an all-time high, practical applications follow basic discoveries more quickly than ever before, and new technologiesâ€"recombinant DNA, scanning tunneling microscopes, and moreâ€"are revolutionizing the way science is conducted. The potential for scientific breakthroughs with significant implications for society has never been greater. Opportunities in Biology reports on the state of the new biology, taking a detailed look at the disciplines of biology; examining the advances made in medicine, agriculture, and other fields; and pointing out promising research opportunities. Authored by an expert panel representing a variety of viewpoints, this volume also offers recommendations on how to meet the infrastructure needsâ€"for funding, effective information systems, and other supportâ€"of future biology research. Exploring what has been accomplished and what is on the horizon, Opportunities in Biology is an indispensable resource for students, teachers, and researchers in all subdisciplines of biology as well as for research administrators and those in funding agencies.