Scientists are calling out a potential treatment for HIV as being “catastrophic” and “fatal,” as it could potentially lead to a “globally disastrous” pandemic, according to the New York Times. Here’s why.
Yesterday, 38 leading biologists joined together to issue a warning about a fascinating yet terrifying new technology which could develop something known as “mirror cells.” Mirror cells sound innocuous at first glance: these are cells whose DNA double helix has a left-handed twist with right-handed amino acids, a complete mirror of how all life on earth has a right-handed twist with left-handed amino acids.
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Just absolutely evil treatment
These scientists called for this research to be banned in spite of some promising developments it may have for HIV treatment. According to these detractors, if one of these cells were to develop into cells for an infectious disease, almost no treatment would be able to stop its spread.
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Because of the unique way mirror cells work, they could potentially be able to completely evade our immune system’s defenses, since our immunity is designed to fight against cells that follow the usual pattern of DNA with the right-handed twist with left-handed amino acids. Once the mirror cells got going, they would be able to potentially chip away at essential organic material within the host until overtaking it entirely, leading to a slow but inevitable death.
Even if a mirror cell virus didn’t affect humans, it could still be catastrophic, on the level of ecosystem collapse or massive crop failure.
Now, many scientists are gathering together to halt all research into mirror cells before it’s too late.
“I share their view that the risks of creating mirror bacteria cannot be justified by the relatively limited potential benefits, and that mirror bacteria and other mirror organisms should not be created,” Filippa Lentzos, a biosecurity expert at King’s College London, told the New York Times.
To share conclusions with the public and call for discussion, she says, “is a role model of responsible science today.”
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