Interesting read, and the science behind it is really cool, but this project totally overlooks the importance of conserving biodiversity. Reforestation is awesome, but planting monocultures instead of native species would surely impact the local ecology. I think synthetic biology should be used to reduce the space humans need for a good quality of life, giving as much land back to the planet as possible. If we've got disused sites, we should be rewilding them/letting them naturally regenerate.
One important note is that they don't plant monocultures—for the exact reasons you outlined. In their first field trials, they planted 12 different species. Part of the idea of having a broad platform is to be able to engineer different species that are native to different environments.
For the sites they are planting in, I'm personally in favor of using the power of synthetic biology to coax life back into action more rapidly. We're already impacting these environments, so the idea is to use these tools to rebalance the scales.
Thank you! LC definitely considers this. They plant a variety of trees in their forests, and aim to engineer different trees for different environments, so that they aren't just filling every forest with fast-growing poplars.
Welcome back, Elliot! This is super interesting. My question is whether there are any concerns that trees that photosynthesize substantially more efficiently and grow substantially faster might be highly invasive? How do we make sure we're not engineering kudzu?
Thanks Robert. This is an interesting concern. In doing research for this piece, I read ~every news article covering LC. The ecologists interviewed were much more focused on measuring if there would be *any* impact of the genetic engineering—rather than too big of an impact.
There's such fierce competition in these niches that basically none of the ecologists were too worried about these modifications having a massive runaway impact and creating invasive species. It also helps that they aren't planting monocultures.
Super interesting. Thanks for sharing. Completely agree. I am really focused on supporting companies that are tackling Humanity Level Problems (HLPs). These problems are hard. Software alone can't fix it. AI can help but its atom and electrons and a lot of work!
Ever heard anything about GEOENGINEERING our CLIMATE with the purpose to exterminate the entire NATURAL WORLD as we knew it??? Here link for you t he BEST summary of what REALLY IS GOING ON:
So with this fact to try to falsely 'fight' for replacement of the real world created by NOBODY of you false
new 'creators' is just a very evil tactics to make a world YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT how it wa really CREATED!!! It is becoming very clear where the Bus-Kcats platform goes, toward promotion of a herd of FALSE 'new creators', the most arrogant clan of eugeneticists driving SELECTIVE, DIRECTED 'evolution', breeding!!! It is SICKENING! This here is NOT A SCIENCE, it is CRIME! Biotechnology is THE BIGGEST GENOCIDE THIS WORLD FACES, look at covid genetically modifying injections, KILLING MILLIONS!!!!
From long term botany and tree anatomy study, researchers have identified a strong correlation of slow growing trees with strong timber and fast growing trees with weak timber.
If Living Carbon is putting fast growing trees into timber market, then i feel the future home decor products will become worse in quality (worse than engineered timber) but go higher in price because of some hypothetical environmental value addition.
Interesting read, and the science behind it is really cool, but this project totally overlooks the importance of conserving biodiversity. Reforestation is awesome, but planting monocultures instead of native species would surely impact the local ecology. I think synthetic biology should be used to reduce the space humans need for a good quality of life, giving as much land back to the planet as possible. If we've got disused sites, we should be rewilding them/letting them naturally regenerate.
Thanks for reading Alfred. You make good points!
One important note is that they don't plant monocultures—for the exact reasons you outlined. In their first field trials, they planted 12 different species. Part of the idea of having a broad platform is to be able to engineer different species that are native to different environments.
For the sites they are planting in, I'm personally in favor of using the power of synthetic biology to coax life back into action more rapidly. We're already impacting these environments, so the idea is to use these tools to rebalance the scales.
Super hopeful article! How do these trees allow for biodiversity?
Thank you! LC definitely considers this. They plant a variety of trees in their forests, and aim to engineer different trees for different environments, so that they aren't just filling every forest with fast-growing poplars.
Welcome back, Elliot! This is super interesting. My question is whether there are any concerns that trees that photosynthesize substantially more efficiently and grow substantially faster might be highly invasive? How do we make sure we're not engineering kudzu?
Thanks Robert. This is an interesting concern. In doing research for this piece, I read ~every news article covering LC. The ecologists interviewed were much more focused on measuring if there would be *any* impact of the genetic engineering—rather than too big of an impact.
There's such fierce competition in these niches that basically none of the ecologists were too worried about these modifications having a massive runaway impact and creating invasive species. It also helps that they aren't planting monocultures.
Super interesting. Thanks for sharing. Completely agree. I am really focused on supporting companies that are tackling Humanity Level Problems (HLPs). These problems are hard. Software alone can't fix it. AI can help but its atom and electrons and a lot of work!
HLPs is a great acronym. I agree. For people that derive meaning from solving hard problems, this is a good thing!
Super interesting, amazing what science can do! Good to have you back writing again here at Substack. Thanks.
Thanks Rick, glad to be back!
Good to have you back 🙌
Glad to be back! 🧬
Can they make me a bougainvillea without thorns?
Interesting idea! There are a few companies making GMO consumer plant products:
https://neoplants.com/
https://light.bio/
thanks for sharing
Ever heard anything about GEOENGINEERING our CLIMATE with the purpose to exterminate the entire NATURAL WORLD as we knew it??? Here link for you t he BEST summary of what REALLY IS GOING ON:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf78rEAJvhY&t=1s
So with this fact to try to falsely 'fight' for replacement of the real world created by NOBODY of you false
new 'creators' is just a very evil tactics to make a world YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT how it wa really CREATED!!! It is becoming very clear where the Bus-Kcats platform goes, toward promotion of a herd of FALSE 'new creators', the most arrogant clan of eugeneticists driving SELECTIVE, DIRECTED 'evolution', breeding!!! It is SICKENING! This here is NOT A SCIENCE, it is CRIME! Biotechnology is THE BIGGEST GENOCIDE THIS WORLD FACES, look at covid genetically modifying injections, KILLING MILLIONS!!!!
From long term botany and tree anatomy study, researchers have identified a strong correlation of slow growing trees with strong timber and fast growing trees with weak timber.
If Living Carbon is putting fast growing trees into timber market, then i feel the future home decor products will become worse in quality (worse than engineered timber) but go higher in price because of some hypothetical environmental value addition.