SuitabookSpider silk scientists
Bridget Heos
- Reading
- Read it as an introduction to a scientific process: pause over unfamiliar terms such as DNA, proteins and genetic engineering, then separate established research from possible future applications.
- Themes
- Scientific innovation and practical use: Researchers investigate spider silk DNA and materials that might be used for sutures, repairing or replacing ligaments and bones, protective equipment and parachute rope. The book appears to connect laboratory science with possible ways materials could improve or protect human lives.
- Ethics of genetic research: Readers are invited to consider ethical concerns connected with genetic research alongside its potential to save or improve lives. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Worth knowing
- The scientific examples include genetically engineered goats and possible uses involving body armour, human ligaments and bones. A parent may wish to discuss both potential benefits and ethical questions without assuming the book settles them.