Throughout history, new advances in science, such as the advent of electricity, nuclear power, genetic engineering, or artificial intelligence, have often been met with fear and uncertainty. While novel scientific developments offer countless possibilities for improving our lives, they also come with ethical considerations and sometimes unintended consequences that must be carefully navigated.

Matthew Cobb is a professor of zoology at the University of Manchester, where his research focuses on the sense of smell, insect behavior, and the history of science. He is also the author of a number of books, including As Gods: A Moral History of the Genetic Age and The Idea of the Brain: The Past and Future of Neuroscience.

Matthew and Greg discuss how even well-intended use of novel technology can lead to unforeseen repercussions, why certain research, such as the gain-of-function studies, might not be worth the risk, and how good international regulation can ensure the safe use of potentially hazardous technologies such as atomic energy.

*unSILOed Podcast is produced by University FM.*

Episode Quotes:

Overcoming fears and diving deep into genetic engineering

09:08: Partly, why I want to write the book because there are three things that do worry me, very much. At least maybe two of which people are aware, and the third one they're not. And I wanted to alert people, but also, I recognize that my fears are very similar to those that occurred in the mid-1970s, for example, when genetic engineering was first developed. And it turns out that those fears were, well, unnecessary or not. But certainly, they have not caused the catastrophe that some people feared. So I wanted to test my anxieties against the past and try and work out whether I'm making a fuss about nothing or whether I'm to be alarmed.

On crispr

33:30: There's a series of quantitative steps toward genetic engineering. But there's a qualitative difference when you know what you're going to do and what you're putting in. This gene does this, we're going to put it in to do that. And that's an element of precision and intentionality, which makes it different.

New technology disturbs us

06:49: New technology generally does disturb us. If it's very widespread. Look at all the fuss about screen time and our dopamine systems being hacked by our phones. And so, no, they're not. But that's what it feels like, because you can get addicted to this endless scrolling. So, technology always has this very dangerous aspect when it's introduced, and then gradually, it becomes slightly less alarming. And that's happened with nuclear power.

Why do we have different views genetically modified food

24:37: Food is not simply stuff you put in your mouth. It's actually cultural. It's part of you, it's part of your way of looking at the world. And that's one of the explanations why.

Show Links:

Recommended Resources:

Guest Profile:

Faculty Profile at The University of Manchester
Matthew Cobb on Twitter

His Work:

Matthew Cobb on Google Scholar
Articles on The Guardian
Genetic Dreams, Genetic Nightmares (BBC Podcast Series where Matthew Cobb looks at the 50-year history of genetic engineering)
As Gods: A Moral History of the Genetic Age
The Idea of the Brain: The Past and Future of Neuroscience
Life's Greatest Secret: The Race to Crack the Genetic Code
Smell: A Very Short Introduction
Life's Greatest Secret: The Race to Crack the Genetic Code
The Egg And The Sperm Race
The Resistance: The French Fight Against the Nazis
Eleven Days in August: The Liberation of Paris
The Genetic Age: Our Perilous Quest to Edit Life

042: Is freedom of religion a human right?