Perspectives

Chromosomes are a core constituent of life.  Humans each have 23 pairs of them.  Every other living creature has them, too.  Even yeast … something you don't normally think of as a living creature … has chromosomes.  I understand that yeast has sixteen chromosomes.

That wouldn't be particularly newsworthy until you consider that it has now been reported that scientists around the world have synthesized six of the sixteen chromosomes in yeast. (see Synthesizing Yeast).  There is hope that the remainder will be synthesized before the end of 2017.

Yeast is obviously something very simple, and the significance of this may not be particularly apparent.  Beer lovers, of course, may beg to differ.  Who knows, could the ability to synthesize yeast, an important element in making beer, lead to better beer?  I don't know whether we can count on better lagers, ales, and stouts in your steins in the future, but most likely, we'll end up with the ability to synthesize more complex chromosomes.

A little bit of speculation may lead one to the idea of synthesizing far more complex organisms some time in the future.  Does that sound a bit like "playing God"?  Obviously, there will be lots of questions that need to be answered along the way.  In my mind, Christians need to be part of any such discussions.

Once again, a scientific discovery points towards two dramatically different outcomes, one good … and one potentially very bad.  The ability to synthesize chromosomes could provide many benefits.  The prospect of better beer is a very mundane potential one.  However, as has been the case over and over, the potential for benefit from a scientific discovery once again brings the potential for serious, if unintended, consequences.  We need to proceed cautiously.  Moreover, in my mind, Christians need to be right in the middle of the discussion.