We are going to be attacked by zombies any day now.

[ilazria]

If this doesn't scare you, it should! Genetic experiments are now a weekend hobby. People are experimenting with cellular DNA in their spare time, with labs they have created in their own homes.

Now, I'm not totally against genetic experiments. Science has made some amazing advancements by understanding and manipulating DNA. What I'm against is amateurs playing around with things, and some of them possibly have no real clue what they are doing! Hello! Haven't any of you watched Resident Evil, or I Am Legend, or any number of zombie movies? Most of them start out with some genetic experiment gone terribly wrong and escaping the confines of their lab. So what happens when your cat knocks over your test tube? When you experiment with anythings molecular structure, the outcome may not be what you anticipated. That is why it is called an experiment!

I can just picture it now. Some well meaning Average Joe, who took a couple of courses in biology in college, decides he's going to save the world. He grabs up some science-y lab equipment, clears up some room in his garage, and sneezes on a slide. Now, he's trying to cure the common cold by making some sort of anti-cold. The only thing is, something he did turns his experiment into the Super Cold, unleashing a pandemic that wipes out thousands.

Here's a better one. If it is so easy to get your hands on this stuff, what is to stop some twisted nut job from deliberately creating some killer disease? A little bit of Anthrax here, a dash of something else there.... Next thing you know your husband is staring at you and moaning, and not in a good way. "BBBRRRAAAAIIINNNSSS!" is not exactly the kind of bedroom talk I long for, how about you?

Just by looking up 'genetic experiment hobby' in google, I found this forum post.

http://www.scienceforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=31227

Basically, it shows just how easy it would be to do this on your own. It's not nearly as expensive as you would thing. The basic list of the major equipment this guy needs is under $7000 if he buys second hand. Sure, I don't have that kind of money, but what about some bored college professor or psycho CEO? What if Paris Hilton decided she was going to save the elephants by changing their DNA to make them 'cuter?' There are just too many people out there who DO have that kind of disposable income, or who are completely unconcerned about the cost in debt. One of the 'My Super Sweet Sixteen' brats could be the maker of a major biological killer.

This poster also mentions that with a little creative thinking, some components could be made cheaper than buying. Of course, this adds a whole new element of scary to this whole concept. What if someone's cheap DIY gadget functions in a way that is unexpected, causing mutations? What if some messed up cell mutates in the microwave he's trying to use as an autoclave, instead of sterilizing?

What's even more horrifying is all the posts saying this guy could just borrow some lab space at the college! There are all sorts of ingredients, right in the fridge to your left. Why don't you just whip up some Chemical X? Oops, what was supposed to be a brain enhancing drug turned out to be a rampant, air spreading, brain melter. Zombie soup anyone?