03.11.2015, Berlin | Since antiquity, human beings have dreamed of creating life artificially. The enor-mous progress in DNA sequencing and genetic synthesis has stimulated the emergence of synthetic biology, a discipline that makes it possible to reprogram the genetic code of organisms and create living systems whose combination of traits had previously not existed in nature. This holds the promise of finding future solutions to pressing problems in fields such as health, environment, and energy. At the same time, synthetic biology brings with it not only scientific but also political, legal, and ethical challenges, that require a discussion throughout society. In its new publication “Evolution in Menschenhand. Synthetische Biologie aus Labor und Atelier“ (Evolution Made by Man: Synthetic Biology in the Lab and the Studio), the Schering Stiftung brings together the natural, legal and cultural sciences as well as the humanities to discuss current developments in synthetic biology from a variety of perspectives.

The publication documents in an enhanced form the contributions of the symposium “Evolution Made by Man? Synthetic Biology in the Lab and the Studio“, organized on March 13, 2015, by the Schering Stiftung in cooperation with the Leopoldina – German National Academy of Sciences and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities.

The book is published by Herder-Verlag and can be obtained in any bookstore as print or e-book.

Evolution Made by Man: Synthetic Biology in the Lab and the Studio

Edited by Sonja Kießling and Heike Catherina Mertens for the Schering Stiftung
Verlag Herder GmbH | Freiburg im Breisgau 2016 | ISBN 978-3-451-34841-9 | 19,99 €

With contributions of

Van Balen, Tuur
Artist, London

Erb, Tobias J.
Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg

Hauser, Jens
Department of Arts and Cultural Studies and Medical Museion at the University of Copenhagen

von Herrmann, Hans-Christian
Institute for Philosophy and the History of Literature, Science, and Technology at the Technical University of Berlin

Michael Lange
Biologist, Science Journalist, Cologne

Norbert Lossau
Physicist, Science Journalist “Die Welt” | N24, Berlin

Pühler, Alfred
Center for Biotechnology at Bielefeld University

Reichle, Ingeborg
Institute for Cultural Studies at Humboldt University of Berlin

Rheinberger, Hans-Jörg
Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin

Schwille, Petra
Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried

Spranger, Tade M.
Faculty of Law and Political Science at the University of Bonn

Trojok, Rüdiger
Biologist, Technology Assessment Adviser at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Biohacker

Volkart Wildermuth
Biochemist, Science Journalist, Berlin