Experts warn that mirror bacteria, constructed from mirror images of molecules found in nature, could put humans, animals and plants at risk of lethal infections

Summary

Leading scientists, including Nobel laureates, are urging a halt to research on creating “mirror life” microbes, citing “unprecedented risks” to life on Earth.

Mirror microbes, built from reversed molecular structures, could evade natural immune systems, leading to uncontrollable lethal infections.

While mirror molecules hold potential for medical and industrial uses, researchers warn that mirror organisms could escape containment and resist antibiotics.

A 299-page report in Science advocates banning such research until safety can be ensured and calls for global debate on its ethical and ecological implications.

  • Th4tGuyII
    20•10 hours ago

    Fair. I had thought that article with the scandel would mention it, but apparently doesn’t. Only the main article does.

    It has two possible configurations:

    • The Right handed configuration had the desired effects and isn’t harmful.

    • The Left handed mirror caused birth defects.

    Oh and the best part is, if you try to make a pure mixture of the right handed version, it can convert to the left handed one in the body!

    • @[email protected]English
      6•9 hours ago

      why the fuck would it be mentioned. thalidomide is synthetic, article is about wrong enantiomer of natural compounds working in a living organism that has unnatural chirality. that teratogenic effect of thalidomide was figured out and is now used in anticancer treatments. it’s a tool, and if you use it right it can be useful. that thing in article is highly speculative as of now and making any component would be hideously expensive anyway

      • peopleproblemsEnglish
        5•9 hours ago

        Correct. It’s also a much simpler organic molecule than any of the proteins they are talking about creating.

      • Th4tGuyII
        3•9 hours ago

        Man, you ain’t gotta be rude.

        I meant the article I linked to the Thalidomide scandal. I was surprised that chirality wasn’t mentioned even once in the wiki article about it causing birth defects, considering it’s chirality was a key factor in that scandal.

        I know it wouldn’t be in the OP article because they’re only minorly related instances, but my point was tjat we already know what mirroring even a simple compound can do to living things, nevermind complex proteins and entire organisms.

        And IMO, using arguably the single most widely known instance of mirror chemicals gone wrong to make that point is perfectly valid.

        Yes, but like any tool, if there’s no safeguards, it will could do unimaginable damage (which is also why I used Thalidomide as an example, as it inspired literally tonnes of safeguards post-scandel). Like GMOs can be dangerous as is, but at least in most instances it’s only the living organism itself that’s dangerous. With mirroring, any part of that organism could be dangerous to normal lifeforms, so even sterilised mirror waste could be dangerous