Hybrid Talks XV “Nature – Material – Culture”

Image biological process

© Schwabe & Huelsen

Thursday, 30 October 2014, 6 p.m.Hybrid Lab,
TU Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 145, room EB 326

“Practice and understanding of biotechnology”

Biological processes, like brewing beer or making cheese, have a long tradition in human culture; today, however, our biotechnological capabilities are changing fundamentally. We are able to understand and manipulate processes on a molecular scale in order to create outcomes in our favor. In today's reality, these outcomes already range from insulin-producing bacteria to pest-resistant corn, glow-in-the-dark plants to glow-in-the-dark pigs. Considering this is only a starting point, illustrating the potential to change our daily lives immensely, a public debate on how we want to live with this technology is necessary. A deeper understanding of both, the processes as well as their context and meaning is crucial. This involves a redefinition of our relationship to "the natural" and "artificial".

The XV. Hybrid Talks "Nature – Material – Culture: Practice and understanding of biotechnology" will present different disciplinary perspectives on biotechnology and aim to encourage dialog based on shared tasks and concerns.

There will be contributions by: