Playing God.

Geneticist Adam Rutherford investigates a new field of research, synthetic biology, which breaks nature down into separate parts to be rebuilt in new combinations. But what are the ethical and other implications of 'playing God?' We learn about a brand new creature created by American scientists, the spider-goat. It is part goat and part spider and its milk can be used to create artificial spider silk, one of the strongest substances known to man. Rutherford meets with Randy Lewis, Utah State University farm who describes how this research came about and what it means to have spider silk, made from a goat and impanted into humans. Ron Weiss explains how computers can be used to build DNA systems from separate DNA parts and Rutherford talks about Craig Ventor's completely synthetically created microbe, Cynthia. Other areas covered including the development of synthetic fuel, bioterrorism, biohacking and the creation of bio capsules. Finally we see how a mouse's brain can be changed to become sensitive to light