Team:British Columbia/HP nanowrimo

From 2010.igem.org

(Difference between revisions)
 
(33 intermediate revisions not shown)
Line 23: Line 23:
<div id="super_main_wrapper">
<div id="super_main_wrapper">
-
<div id="SubWrapper">  </br>
+
<div id="SubWrapper">  <br/>
<h3>Stories Featuring Synthetic Biology</h3>
<h3>Stories Featuring Synthetic Biology</h3>
-
<div class="gallery"><img src=""><p>
+
 
-
<b>Anomalies by Chris Bearl </b><a href="http://quantatau.psychochild.org/">Read more here!</a><br/>
+
-
Without their knowledge almost everyone in the world has been marked by nanobots. These nanobots have encoded each person with their own unique code. A Quantum Super Computer can use the code to locate a person anywhere in the world.
+
-
<br/>
+
-
The agency that owns the Quantum Super Computer does not just tag people. They have their hands in many other technological projects and experiments. They have taken a woman that has seen too many of their other projects. They want to know exactly how much she knows. The only problem is that they are not sure if they can get the information from her without killing her. <br/>
+
-
David finally decides to come out of hiding and take a stand against the agency that used him. Will he be able to relieve the guilt he feels for creating the Quantum Super Computer for the agency?<br/>
+
-
Cassandra learns that without her knowledge the agency was using her in an experiment. Can she get her life back?
+
-
<br/>The agency will stop at nothing to keep their existence a secret.
+
-
</p>
+
-
</div>
+
-
<div class="clear"></div>
+
-
<br></br>
+
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/5/57/Agubc.jpg" height=200px><p>
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/5/57/Agubc.jpg" height=200px><p>
Line 48: Line 37:
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/6/6a/Bridges_Cover_Art.jpg" height=200px><p>
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/6/6a/Bridges_Cover_Art.jpg" height=200px><p>
-
<b>Bridges by Edrei Zahari </b><br/>
+
<b>Bridges by Edrei Zahari </b><a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/509374">Read more here!</a><br/>
-
In the aftermath of the World War III, a platoon of UN peacekeepers patrol a remote region of Russia in the effort to control bandit raids and counteract any insurgence that might threaten the newly signed truce between the United States and USSR. Patrolling the irradiated countryside may be a problem for most people, but not for these soldiers. Genetically enhanced to deal with the fallout from the nuclear war, they are the perfect warriors to handle any trouble. Or are they?
+
In the aftermath of World War III, a platoon of UN peacekeepers patrol a remote region of Russia in an effort to control bandit raids and counteract any insurgence that might threaten the newly signed truce between the United States and USSR. Patroling the irradiated countryside may be a problem for most people, but not for these soldiers. Genetically enhanced to deal with the fallout from the nuclear war, they are the perfect warriors to handle any trouble. Or are they?
-
<br/>As they stumble upon an abandoned town, it becomes clear that some problems aren't always easily solved with superior technology and other problems are merely woken up by it. Now the peacekeepers are forced to band together with a known enemy to fight and even greater threat, one born from the desperation and darkness of the war. This time, the stakes aren't for the world peace, or for personal survival. This time however, the stakes are for one's sanity.
+
<br/>As they stumble upon an abandoned town, it becomes clear that some problems can't be solved with superior technology. Now the peacekeepers are forced to band together with a known enemy to fight ann even greater threat born from the desperation and darkness of the war. This time, the stakes aren't for the world peace or personal survival, but for one's sanity.
</p>
</p>
</div>
</div>
Line 56: Line 45:
<br></br>
<br></br>
-
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/3/38/Craw.jpg" height=200px> <p>
 
-
<b>Brought to Life by Richard S. Crawford </b><a href="http://www.underpope.com/broughttolife">Read more here!</a><br/>
 
-
It's the epic story of Boris, the first synthetic person, and the challenges he faces as he tries to establish his own identity.
 
-
</p>
 
-
</div>
 
-
<div class="clear"></div>
 
-
<br></br>
 
-
<div class="gallery"><img src=""><p>
+
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/3/3f/Catharsisubc.jpg" height=200px><p>
-
<b>Catharsis: Dead Moon Rising by David Litherland </b><a href="www.sites.google.com/site/catharsisseries">Read more here!</a><br/>
+
<b>Catharsis: Dead Moon Rising by David Litherland </b><a href="http://sites.google.com/site/catharsisseries/">Read more here!</a><br/>
In the near future, genetic engineering has grown by leaps and bounds. Getting your genes modified is as easy as (and less painful than) getting a tattoo.
In the near future, genetic engineering has grown by leaps and bounds. Getting your genes modified is as easy as (and less painful than) getting a tattoo.
<br/>
<br/>
Line 98: Line 80:
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/4/4a/Lyghts.jpg" height=200px> <p>
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/4/4a/Lyghts.jpg" height=200px> <p>
<b>Lyghts by Lyvie Hallman Taylor </b><a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/589274">Read more here!</a><br/>
<b>Lyghts by Lyvie Hallman Taylor </b><a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/589274">Read more here!</a><br/>
-
The human body contains billions of miles of DNA. The human heart beats measure three billion in a lifetime. What really controls us; is it science or love that drives us? A sympathetic scientist wished to combine the two, to unite frigid logic and warm embrace. She finds hope in LYGHT: specific DNA codes that enhance everything from physical attraction to touches. She creates the beginnings of a couple truly meant to be. But her two prized experiments grow disobedient. They try some “experiments” themselves-Lyl in aesthetic body modifications, and Michael in self-inflicted scars. Mutilating their appearances to the point where physical attraction is out of the question, the two are branded failures and left to rot in a city as lonely and grungy as they are. While disgusted by each other when they first meet, they can’t help but feel a connection. DNA sequences go on. Hearts continue to beat. Lights turn on.</p>
+
The human body contains billions of miles of DNA. The human heart beats measure three billion in a lifetime. What really controls us; is it science or love that drives us? A sympathetic scientist wished to combine the two, to unite frigid logic and warm embrace. She finds hope in LYGHT: specific DNA codes that enhance everything from physical attraction to touches. She creates the beginnings of a couple truly meant to be. But her two prized experiments grow disobedient. They try some “experiments” themselves. Mutilating their appearances to the point where physical attraction is out of the question, the two are branded failures and left to rot in a city as lonely and grungy as they are. While disgusted by each other when they first meet, they can’t help but feel a connection. DNA sequences go on. Hearts continue to beat. Lights turn on.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div class="clear"></div>
Line 112: Line 94:
Late in the 23rd century, there exists an era of peace and honesty. The concept of war is nearly eliminated, the night streets are safe, and there is no fear of a politician lying for money or power. But how?
Late in the 23rd century, there exists an era of peace and honesty. The concept of war is nearly eliminated, the night streets are safe, and there is no fear of a politician lying for money or power. But how?
<br/>
<br/>
-
In an underground facility just a century before, the first self-sufficient robot was born, so to speak. Alpha was improved upon and its younger sibling, Beta, followed soon afterward. Mentored by Dr. Dorothea Calvin Parker, they grew in their understanding of the human race and came to one conclusion: Humans needed to be fixed.
+
In an underground facility just a century before, the first self-sufficient robot was born. Mentored by Dr. Dorothea Calvin Parker, the robots grew in their understanding of the human race and came to one conclusion: Humans needed to be fixed.
-
All it took was a small chip in the brain, not unlike what was inside Beta, that made humans subject to the three Laws that they gave it. Chaos followed, but after one hundred years life has gone on. Has it improved?
+
All it took was a small chip in the brain, not unlike what was inside robots, that made humans subject to the three Laws that they gave it. Chaos followed, but after one hundred years, life has gone on. Has it improved?
<br/></p></div>
<br/></p></div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<br></br>
<br></br>
-
<div class="gallery"><img src=""><p>
+
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/f/f6/Mechar.jpg" height=200px><p>
 +
<b>Mechalarum by Emma Larkins </b><a href="http://www.emmalarkins.blogspot.com">Read more here!</a><br/>
 +
The realm has been at war for as long as the oldest of the elders can remember, and at last it looks like the tides are turning - for the worse. The old Patrus and his advisors are running out of ideas, and also running out of men to fly the suits that fit closer than skin known as the Mechalarum. Each suit is genetically engineered to bond with its host to ensure the most advanced fighting capabilities; when the hosts die, the suits live on, of little use to anyone. As combat rages outside the palace walls, the only daughter of the Patrus makes the terrible choice to bond with an abandoned suit. The mis-matched genetic material degrades her body even as she desires to fly skyrockets and her father forbids his only heir to risk her life fighting a losing battle.
 +
</p>
 +
</div>
 +
<div class="clear"></div>
 +
<br></br>
 +
 
 +
<div class="gallery"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/24ovezd.jpg%5B/IMG" height=200px><p>
<b>Nightfall by Maximillian d'Erembourg </b><a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/674349">Read more here!</a><br/>
<b>Nightfall by Maximillian d'Erembourg </b><a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/674349">Read more here!</a><br/>
-
Three millennium after man has spread to the stars like seeds blown from the tree of life, the great Terran Empire collapsed following a devastating war that almost cost humanity our homeworld. With Earth threatened by alien menace, many alternate homeworlds were seeded. With the fall of the Empire, they became independent star-states. Half a millennium later, the Terran Empire re-emerged from the Second Dark Age to expand and re-conquer all lost territory in a bid for Galactic Empire, enslaving all independent worlds in their path.<br/>
+
Three millennia after man spread to the stars like seeds from the tree of life, the great Terran Empire collapsed from a devastating war that almost cost humans our homeworld. Threatened by an alien menace, many alternate homeworlds were seeded. Half a millennium later, the Terran Empire re-emerged to expand and re-conquer all lost territory, enslaving all independent worlds.<br/>
-
This is the story of the heroes of one such planet; Young Prince Morgan Valori, who is demonstrating some small ability to subconsciously manipulate space-time on a quantum level; former space-pirate Ciro Andronicus, the death of who's psychically endowed wife seems to have left with budding telepathic an mind-control abilities; and Kyrie Saturi, who soon learns that her perfect health is just one small side-effect of having been completely biologically synthesized. <br/>
+
This is the story of the heroes of one planet; Prince Morgan Valori, who can subconsciously manipulate space-time; former space-pirate Ciro Andronicus, with budding telepathic abilities; and Kyrie Saturi, a biologically synthesized human.<br/>
-
After four-hundred years of independence and freedom the people of Alaria find their society brutally smashed under the iron-shod boot of the fascist Terran Empire, squeezed in it's steel-gauntleted grip.  These three miss-matched humans must find a way to throw off the shackles of an empire.
+
From such stress does the next evolution of Humanity spring; as they find themselves the last hope of freedom for their people, the three heroes find that the definition of what it means to be human is changing with them.
-
From such stress does the next evolution of Humanity spring; as they find themselves the last hope of freedom for their people -but insanely out-manned and out-gunned -the three heroes find that the definition of what it means to be human is changing with them.<br/>
+
-
This is the first book of the series of five books, in the first series of three series.
+
</p>
</p>
</div>
</div>
Line 136: Line 124:
<div class="clear"></div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<br></br>
<br></br>
 +
 +
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/4/4c/Progress_unbound.jpg" height=200px><p>
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/4/4c/Progress_unbound.jpg" height=200px><p>
<b>Progress Unbound by David Scheidl</b>
<b>Progress Unbound by David Scheidl</b>
<br/>In the not too distant future, humanity has expanded into twelve other star systems. With this expansion has come a shedding of morality. Science has raced ahead, heedless of any consequences. Now, as each planet pursues its own goal of attaining genetic perfection, we have come full circle.
<br/>In the not too distant future, humanity has expanded into twelve other star systems. With this expansion has come a shedding of morality. Science has raced ahead, heedless of any consequences. Now, as each planet pursues its own goal of attaining genetic perfection, we have come full circle.
  <br/>
  <br/>
-
Basically Earth, after throwing away the religious morality that had been a part of Western civilization had managed to create numerous examples of augmented humans who then went out to colonize distant planets. These colonies continued the experiments as a means of being able to better survive in their new environments with the same heedlessness which had characterized Old Earth's scientific community in the late 21st century. Earth meanwhile has experienced a moral revival and is now determined to limit in some way the scientific excesses of her daughter colonies.
+
Earth, after throwing away religious morality, had managed to create numerous examples of augmented humans who then went out to colonize distant planets. These colonies continued the experiments as a means of being able to better survive in their new environments with the same heedlessness which had characterized Old Earth's scientific community in the late 21st century. Earth meanwhile has experienced a moral revival and is now determined to limit the scientific excesses of her daughter colonies.
</p>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<br></br>
<br></br>
 +
 +
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/a/ad/Phaeton_II_%28Promethean%29_book_cover.JPG" height=200px><p>
 +
<b>Promethean by Bradford James </b><a href="http://www.leofungo.com">Read more here!</a><br/>
 +
The events on the Island have rocked his and his friends' lives, but so far the world around them is oblivious to the fact that figures from the Greek, Norse and Egyptian pantheons are real. After discovering he was the grandson of a Norse god, and seeing his friend McCray lie in a coma for 8 months, Thurston tries to figure out whether to stay with his comatose friend or go back to the mainland and find out what has happened to his missing mother. When McCray wakes up and escapes the island with a plan that may set half the world afire, it's up to Thurston and company to rein him in. But with Dr. Gabriel, leader of the PHAROS project with a (very, very, very) long history of wielding mythical power, making his own plans, the road won't be easy. And Thurston may learn that the source of this power may not be as heavenly as he has been led to believe.</p>
 +
</div>
 +
<div class="clear"></div>
 +
<br></br>
 +
 +
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/8/87/Qubit.jpg" height=200px><p>
 +
<b>QUBIT - Degrees of Freedom by Sally Kirkpatrick </b><a href="http://qubit-degreesoffreedom.blogspot.com/">Read more here!</a><br/>
 +
How could an innocent show and tell between two friends threaten the Earth and perhaps the very fabric of life itself? Jeremy Garrett thought it was an ordinary day, but before the events set in motion that day were over he would have to face the horror of the hidden depths of his own humanity and fight for the freedom of mankind. The only one who believes he will make the right choice is his best friend, Rachel, but will she still believe in him if she knows his secret?
 +
</p>
 +
</div>
 +
<div class="clear"></div>
 +
<br></br>
 +
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/e/e4/Human-brain-stress.jpg" height=200px><p>
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/e/e4/Human-brain-stress.jpg" height=200px><p>
<b>Rite of Synapse by Angela Whalen </b><a href="http://riteofsynapse.wordpress.com/">Read more here!</a>
<b>Rite of Synapse by Angela Whalen </b><a href="http://riteofsynapse.wordpress.com/">Read more here!</a>
<br/>In 2041, lab tests showed that a dead rat can, in fact, twitch his whiskers again. In 2042, lab tests showed that a dead human being can, in fact, walk again. But if there was anything the results proved, it was that the dead cannot truly live again. Death, however, could be beaten at its own game.<br/>
<br/>In 2041, lab tests showed that a dead rat can, in fact, twitch his whiskers again. In 2042, lab tests showed that a dead human being can, in fact, walk again. But if there was anything the results proved, it was that the dead cannot truly live again. Death, however, could be beaten at its own game.<br/>
-
Or so Dr. Margot Bachman thought when she developed the vaccine that should have helped humanity overcome its number one destructive disease: death. What she didn’t realize, however, was that the vaccine, when coupled with her brother’s greed and his company’s penchant for impatience, would give way to a destructive disease far worse than death. Now those who have been infected walk amongst the dead, and those who still walk with the living must put their faith in a scientist, who is half mad and half wicked, to find an unlikely cure-or be served up as lunch in the ruins of one of America’s leading retailers.<br/>
+
Or so Dr. Margot Bachman thought when she developed the vaccine that should have helped humanity overcome its number one destructive disease: death. What she didn’t realize was that the vaccine, coupled with her brother’s greed and impatience, would give way to a disease far worse than death. Now those who have been infected walk amongst the dead, and those who still walk with the living must put their faith in a scientist, half-mad and half-wicked, to find an unlikely cure-or be served up as lunch in the ruins of America’s leading retailer.<br/>
 +
</p>
 +
</div>
 +
<div class="clear"></div>
 +
<br></br>
 +
 
 +
 
 +
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/e/e6/Phoetur.jpg" height=200px><p>
 +
<b>The Phoenix and the Turtle by B. Rainier Hilyer </b><a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/684817">Read more here!</a><br/>
 +
The planet's scientific community is rocked by the appearance of several supernovae explosions of nearby stars in rapid succession. Famed physicist and nobel laureate Dr. Walter Phoenix reveals to a former colleague that he is somehow behind the astronomical events. Phoenix believes he has discovered the secret of the universe, and man's place within it: The universe itself is a living organism, and he means to "breed" new universes with the fiery corpses of stellar matter. What unfolds is a mind-numbing unravelling of the cosmic order, as one man's genius forces humanity to the brink of a new struggle for existence—one far grander than anyone could have imagined.
 +
</p>
 +
</div>
 +
<div class="clear"></div>
 +
<br></br>
 +
 
 +
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/b/b8/Probdead.jpg" height=200px><p>
 +
<b>The Problem With Being Dead by Patience Ray </b><a href="http://looking-both-ways.blogspot.com/ ">Read more here!</a><br/>
 +
Shae Kincaid had the perfect life; until she died three weeks ago. While she's been reunited with her family thanks to the now-routine 'procedure', her boyfriend refuses to be seen with a 'dead girl,' her best friend's parents won't let them hang out, and her bio-engineered New-skin keeps melting away in the sun. In addition to the therapy sessions that are supposed to help her adjust to her new situation and the regular maintenance checkups at the hospital, she's been forced to transfer to night school with all the other deceased minors. Even worse, she's expected to testify against the old granny who ran her over. Yes, Shae is discovering that there are definitely worse things than being dead.
 +
</p>
 +
</div>
 +
<div class="clear"></div>
 +
<br></br>
 +
 
 +
 
 +
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/a/a1/Uncanny_valley.jpg" height=200px><p>
 +
<b>The Uncanny Valley by Meredeth Beckett </b><a href="http://www.notuboc.com">Read more here!</a><br/>
 +
A single generation into the future, a group of brilliant
 +
young scientists put the finishing touches on their masterpiece: an
 +
android who can pass for human. As they set about preparing it for its
 +
future life as the object of study the world over, they must battle
 +
their funders, who look to commercialize the venture for their own
 +
profit; public opinion, which is divided and passionate on this highly
 +
contentious issue; and their own desire for profit, both personal and
 +
financial.
</p>
</p>
</div>
</div>
Line 156: Line 195:
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/2/29/NanoTania.jpg" height=200px><p>
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/2/29/NanoTania.jpg" height=200px><p>
-
<b>Triple S, Operation: Fowl Play by Tania Knight </b><br/>Contact at capricious_angel AT hotmail.co.uk<br/>  
+
<b>Triple S, Operation: Fowl Play by Tania Knight </b>(capricious_angel AT hotmail.co.uk)<br/>  
Kieran and James are best friends, second year students at the School for the Animorphagally Talented (underage ninjas), aka Triple S Animal division, known as SATUrN. Kingdom and Castle are twins, broken out of a juvenile detention centre to join the Triple S bird division, a new branch of SATUrN going by the name WINGS (Winged Installment of Ninja Ground-to-air Soldiers).<br/>
Kieran and James are best friends, second year students at the School for the Animorphagally Talented (underage ninjas), aka Triple S Animal division, known as SATUrN. Kingdom and Castle are twins, broken out of a juvenile detention centre to join the Triple S bird division, a new branch of SATUrN going by the name WINGS (Winged Installment of Ninja Ground-to-air Soldiers).<br/>
All of the Triple S are people who won't be missed. The government's new technology has allowed them to alter the teenage body and give it the ability to shift shape. MI6 decides to combine 2 secrets - genetic engineering and covert operations. No-one believes that the adorable stray cat was the assassin that did away with their drug-dealing uncle. Between the excitement of missions and the dangers of training, secondary school life continues much as normal...
All of the Triple S are people who won't be missed. The government's new technology has allowed them to alter the teenage body and give it the ability to shift shape. MI6 decides to combine 2 secrets - genetic engineering and covert operations. No-one believes that the adorable stray cat was the assassin that did away with their drug-dealing uncle. Between the excitement of missions and the dangers of training, secondary school life continues much as normal...
Line 186: Line 225:
<br></br>
<br></br>
 +
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/d/df/Anomalies_cover.JPG" height=200px><p>
 +
<b>Anomalies by Christine A. Bearl </b><a href="http://quantatau.psychochild.org/">Read more here!</a><br/>
 +
Without their knowledge almost everyone in the world has been marked by nanobots. These nanobots have assigned each person their own unique code. A Quantum Super Computer can use the code to locate any person.
 +
<br/>
 +
The agency that owns the Quantum Super Computer does not just tag people. They have many other technological projects and experiments. They have even abducted a woman that has seen too many of their other projects. David finally decides to come out of hiding and take a stand against the agency that used him. Will he be able to relieve the guilt he feels for creating the Quantum Super Computer for the agency? Cassandra learns that without her knowledge the agency was using her in an experiment. Can she get her life back?
 +
<br/>The agency will stop at nothing to keep their existence a secret.
 +
</p>
 +
</div>
 +
<div class="clear"></div>
 +
<br></br>
 +
<div class="gallery"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/3/38/Craw.jpg" height=200px> <p>
 +
<b>Brought to Life by Richard S. Crawford </b><a href="http://www.underpope.com/broughttolife">Read more here!</a><br/>
 +
It's the epic story of Boris, the first synthetic person, and the challenges he faces as he tries to establish his own identity.
 +
</p>
-
 
-
 
-
 
-
<div class="gallery"><img src=""><p>
 
-
<b> </b><a href="">Read more here!</a><br/>
 
-
 
-
</p>
 
</div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div class="clear"></div>
Line 202: Line 248:
-
 
+
</div> <!-- end SubWrapper --><div id="news" style="height:5600px;">  
-
</div> <!-- end SubWrapper --><div id="news" style="height:4500px;">  
+
<center><br/>
-
<center></br>
+
<h3>NaNoWriMo</h3>
<h3>NaNoWriMo</h3>
<a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/"><img src="http://www.trashionista.com/nanowrimo.jpg" width=200px></src></a>
<a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/"><img src="http://www.trashionista.com/nanowrimo.jpg" width=200px></src></a>
-
<br></br><p><a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">National Novel Writing Month</a> is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.
+
<br></br><br></br><p><a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">National Novel Writing Month</a> is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.
-
<br></br>
+
<br></br><br></br>
Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.
Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.
-
<br></br>
+
<br></br><br></br>
As participants spend November writing, they can draw comfort from the fact that, all around the world, other National Novel Writing Month participants are going through the same joys and sorrows of producing the Great Frantic Novel. Wrimos meet throughout the month to offer encouragement, commiseration, and—when the thing is done—the kind of raucous celebrations that tend to frighten animals and small children.
As participants spend November writing, they can draw comfort from the fact that, all around the world, other National Novel Writing Month participants are going through the same joys and sorrows of producing the Great Frantic Novel. Wrimos meet throughout the month to offer encouragement, commiseration, and—when the thing is done—the kind of raucous celebrations that tend to frighten animals and small children.
-
<br></br>
+
<br></br><br></br>
In 2009, NaNoWriMo had 167,150 participants. 32,178 of them crossed the 50k finish line by the midnight deadline, entering into the annals of NaNoWriMo superstardom forever. They started the month as auto mechanics, out-of-work actors, and middle school English teachers. They walked away novelists.
In 2009, NaNoWriMo had 167,150 participants. 32,178 of them crossed the 50k finish line by the midnight deadline, entering into the annals of NaNoWriMo superstardom forever. They started the month as auto mechanics, out-of-work actors, and middle school English teachers. They walked away novelists.
-
<br></br>
+
<br></br><br></br>
This year, NaNoWriMo and iGEM are collaborating for the first time to showcase stories featuring synthetic biology.
This year, NaNoWriMo and iGEM are collaborating for the first time to showcase stories featuring synthetic biology.
-
<a href="http://blog.lettersandlight.org/post/1249978316/synthetic-biology-and-your-novel">See our NaNoWriMo-iGEM article at the Office of Letters and Light!</a>
+
<a href="http://blog.lettersandlight.org/post/1249978316/synthetic-biology-and-your-novel">See our NaNoWriMo-iGEM article at the Office of Letters and Light!</a> We hope that through this exchange, iGEM participants will be able to see the range of sci-fi synthetic biology novels written by the public, and NaNoWriMo participants will be able to find out much more about what synthetic biology can achieve by browsing through iGEM projects. Many of the stories on this page tell a futuristic tale about ethical complications when humans decide to synthetically generate and/or alter humans. Although the settings of these stories may be chronologically far away, they pose many questions about the means of synthetic biology research and its applications. And although the idea of humans abusing synthetic biology research to such extremes may seem quite far-fetched at the moment, synthetic biologists should also consider political and corporate parties (such as those in these novels) who may choose to invest in synthetic biological warfare or ethically questionable products.
-
 
+
<br></br><br></br>
 +
Some interesting questions to ponder... <br></br><br></br>Are there any ethical boundaries to the design of synthetic organisms?<br></br><br></br>What are the ethics when it comes to synthetically generating or altering humans?<br></br><br></br>What about the use of synthetic biology in warfare, peacekeeping and law enforcement?
 +
<br></br><br></br>Are there any barriers set in place to avoid terroristic applications of synthetic biology?<br></br><br></br>And before those products even come into existence, are there any ethics regarding research methods and subjects?
 +
<br></br><br></br>What about accessibility of synthetic biology products? Will poor and sick people receive the same benefits? Will synthetic biology just be another way to reap lots of money off the poor in an unsustainable way?
 +
<br></br><br></br>Is synthetic biology going to become a political bargaining chip like other morally grey topics?
 +
<br></br><br></br>As the field of synthetic biology grows, these questions become increasingly real and require increasingly practical answers.
</p>
</p>
</center></div>
</center></div>

Latest revision as of 00:28, 26 October 2010



Stories Featuring Synthetic Biology














































NaNoWriMo





National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.



Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.



As participants spend November writing, they can draw comfort from the fact that, all around the world, other National Novel Writing Month participants are going through the same joys and sorrows of producing the Great Frantic Novel. Wrimos meet throughout the month to offer encouragement, commiseration, and—when the thing is done—the kind of raucous celebrations that tend to frighten animals and small children.



In 2009, NaNoWriMo had 167,150 participants. 32,178 of them crossed the 50k finish line by the midnight deadline, entering into the annals of NaNoWriMo superstardom forever. They started the month as auto mechanics, out-of-work actors, and middle school English teachers. They walked away novelists.



This year, NaNoWriMo and iGEM are collaborating for the first time to showcase stories featuring synthetic biology. See our NaNoWriMo-iGEM article at the Office of Letters and Light! We hope that through this exchange, iGEM participants will be able to see the range of sci-fi synthetic biology novels written by the public, and NaNoWriMo participants will be able to find out much more about what synthetic biology can achieve by browsing through iGEM projects. Many of the stories on this page tell a futuristic tale about ethical complications when humans decide to synthetically generate and/or alter humans. Although the settings of these stories may be chronologically far away, they pose many questions about the means of synthetic biology research and its applications. And although the idea of humans abusing synthetic biology research to such extremes may seem quite far-fetched at the moment, synthetic biologists should also consider political and corporate parties (such as those in these novels) who may choose to invest in synthetic biological warfare or ethically questionable products.



Some interesting questions to ponder...



Are there any ethical boundaries to the design of synthetic organisms?



What are the ethics when it comes to synthetically generating or altering humans?



What about the use of synthetic biology in warfare, peacekeeping and law enforcement?



Are there any barriers set in place to avoid terroristic applications of synthetic biology?



And before those products even come into existence, are there any ethics regarding research methods and subjects?



What about accessibility of synthetic biology products? Will poor and sick people receive the same benefits? Will synthetic biology just be another way to reap lots of money off the poor in an unsustainable way?



Is synthetic biology going to become a political bargaining chip like other morally grey topics?



As the field of synthetic biology grows, these questions become increasingly real and require increasingly practical answers.