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amai • today at 11:19 AM • 2 replies • view on HN

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror-image_life


Replies

chasil • today at 12:57 PM

The "Potential Risks" section of the wiki is a bit thin on the mechanisms of the danger.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror-image_life#Potential_ri...

'In December 2024, 38 scientists, including several synthetic biology researchers and two Nobel laureates, warned that the creation of mirror-image life could cause "unprecedented and irreversible harm" to human health and ecosystems worldwide. The reversed structure of mirror-image bacteria could allow them to evade many mechanisms critical for immunity and predation that have evolved to recognize natural-chirality structures. As a result, mirror-image bacteria could potentially escape immune defenses and invade natural ecosystems, leading to "pervasive lethal infections in a substantial fraction of plant and animal species, including humans."'

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ceejayoz • today at 12:51 PM

TL;DR: Don't.