HNUH248Q

What is "natural" and what is "artificial"? While this distinction might seem obvious at first, modern biology has blurred it in surprising ways. Genetic engineering, vaccination, immunotherapies, bionics, and cybernetics all combine natural and artificial components to bring new dimensions to the way we think about human health. At the same time, humans have grappled with fears and innovation through speculative fiction far longer than these ideas have had practical applications. Landmark stories of artificial life include beings in Greek mythology (Talos), Jewish lore (golem), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and more to the present day. Approaching the interface between biological and artificial materials from both perspectives, this course will present history's cutting-edge developments in biomedical research and explore the boundaries of the natural and artificial in science fiction, allowing students to develop tools for grappling with AI and other "Frankenscience."