A team of scientists who aimed to create “mirror life” has stopped their research after warning that a mirror microorganism could pose catastrophic risks if it escaped the lab. The researchers, including Kate Adamala and 37 others, published a paper in the journal Science on December 12, expressing concerns about the potential for a mirror pathogen to cause a global pandemic.
Mirror biology involves flipping the fundamental property of life on Earth, where molecules point in one direction or another. The goal was to create living cells with all chirality flipped, using peptides that are left-handed instead of right-handed. However, Adamala and her team have realized that immune systems would not be able to detect these mirror cells, making them potentially deadly.
A mirror bacteria could bypass natural checks and balances, allowing it to infect a wide range of hosts without being detected by the immune system. The risk of such an organism escaping the lab is deemed catastrophic, as it could lead to slow and persistent infections that cannot be treated with antibiotics.
Adamala’s research focused on creating longer-lasting pharmaceuticals, but she has since decided not to renew her grant for the project due to concerns about safety. Other researchers are now urging their colleagues to stop similar research efforts until the technology is more mature.
The team estimates that a mirror bacteria could be created in about a decade, which is why they believe it’s essential to halt further research on this topic. If someone were to create such an organism, it would have far-reaching consequences, potentially leading to widespread disease and ecosystem destruction.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/mirror-life-biology-research-risks-2024-12