India must create an ecosystem—biohackspaces—so that our biohackers can lead, not just follow, the herd into the future.
THE UBIQUITY OF computers and smartphones and the pervasive presence of digital technology means that everybody who is reading this article is familiar with hackers. Hackers, as we all believe, are evil people, who either create viruses that ruin our machines or access our computers to steal confidential information with the intention to cause harm. We also have ethical, or white-hat, hackers, the guards and policemen, who with the same level of skill, try to beat the evil black-hat hackers at their game and keep digital assets secure. But the original meaning of hacker was someone who is so intensely immersed in computer technology that he knows much more than what a normal, non-hacker user would ever know about what can be done with computers. The hacker was the ubergeek, in whose hands a computer could be stretched to perform tasks that it was never meant for and deliver unexpected results. The hacker was a genius, not necessarily the evil genius that he—and it is generally a he—is portrayed to be. He was someone who could, in a sense, disassemble and reassemble the hardware and software in ways that no one else can even think about, to create new functionality. This same kind of behaviour when seen in the world of biosciences is called biohacking.
This story is from the April 2017 edition of Swarajya Mag.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2017 edition of Swarajya Mag.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Refuging Progess
There is a well-orchestrated global conspiracy to deny scientific and technological developments from the West to Third World countries.
The Monk Of Science
Vivekananda believed that Religion should be subjected to scientific methods of investigation. The third and concluding part of our series on the Swami and his views on science.
The Next Step
Indian technical manpower can be trained for high-value-added emerging services in the era of mass commoditisation of hardware.
The Threat Of Autarchy
The force of globalisation is an irreversible reality, and it is countries like India and China that will nurture it going forward.
Neanderthals: The Womb Of Caves
Recent discoveries indicate that Neanderthals may have had a rich inner life, including symbolic thought. Indeed, they may have been the progenitors of human religions.
Getting India's World Right
Incremental concessions will get India nowhere with Pakistan and China. What we need is a classically conservative foreign policy, based on realism.
The Hesitant Orbit
In order to march boldly ahead into the deep space, New Delhi must work towards building a station, boost its techno-economic planning and use the Indian Space Research Organisation smartly.
Nudges And Narratives
The debate surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati brings India a complex network of portraits within a cultural world-system.
The Spell Of Specialisation
THE INDIAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE NEEDS AN URGENT REJIG. THE KEY TO SPEED AND EFFICIENCY LIES IN PUTTING AN END TO A GENERALIST APPROACH AND IN GOING FOR A NEW SERVICE.
The Great Gamble
With demonetisation, the prime minister has taken a huge risk— both economic and political. He must succeed, because this move could transform both our economy and our society.
