The Willy Wonka of Flowers: Hacking Petals for Fun and Science
Who needs roses that smell like roses when you can have flowers that smell like old books?
Sebastian Cocioba, a self-taught biotechnologist, is reimagining floral genetics from a hallway-turned-laboratory in his Long Island home. Starting with orchids salvaged from dumpsters, he’s evolved into a “pipette for hire,” hacking plant DNA to create entirely new flowers.
His mission? Make genetic engineering accessible to everyone, while designing flowers that are more beautiful, fragrant, and imaginative than nature’s originals.
Using DIY ingenuity, he builds affordable lab tools from LEDs and 3D printers. His experiments include a morning glory with Olympic-themed patterns. Now, he’s crafting plants with scents like old books for a startup’s sensory designs.
By documenting his methods online, he’s democratizing science and opening up genetic engineering to enthusiasts. If amateurs can hack the world of synthetic biology, how might this shape the future of innovation?
Read the full article on Wired.
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