Ecotron Science

Simulating Nature Today for a More Resilient Tomorrow

What Are Ecotrons?

Ecotrons are state-of-the-art labs that recreate ecosystems - like forests, grasslands, or marine habitats. They can range in size between a few square meters to an acre or more. Think of them as high-tech greenhouses that allow controlled, reproducible study of environmental problems and potential solutions. These ecosystem models are loaded with sensors, and biological samples can be taken periodically for DNA sequencing and other molecular testing. This constant flow of information from a multitude of ecotrons can be analyzed using AI to find "hot spots" in the data that indicate statistically significant differences between highly controlled conditions. This emerging field of science might best be described as Comparative Biospheromics.

Why Ecotrons Matter

Synthetic biology involves manipulating DNA to create new biological components, devices, and systems, or to modify organisms for specific purposes. There is currently much apprehension about whether such technology will be safe or effective.

On an ethical level, some think we have no business tinkering with the fundamental molecule of life. Others are eager to see a bioeconomy blossom. Ecotrons can help ensure we innovate responsibly, with rigorous science to guide us.

Support Ecotron Research

Synthetic biology will require far more public support for applications to be fully realized outside of laboratories. Without funding and public trust, we risk losing tools to tackle environmental problems, ensure safe biotechnologies, and advance space exploration.

Learn about our vision to fund and scale ecotron facilities through a collaborative endowment:

Select your state below to personalize a letter to your senators and help champion ecotron science.

Subject: Support Ecotron Science

Dear [Senator’s Name],

I am writing to urge your support for ecotron science, a critical tool for solving environmental challenges while ensuring the safe and ethical use of synthetic biology. Ecotrons are controlled-environment labs that mimic real ecosystems — like forests, grasslands, and marine habitats — in a way that lets scientists study ecological problems and technical solutions with precision and safety.

Ecotrons can help us test biological agents that clean pollution and control pests. They can allow us to test genetically modified food crops that can be grown more organically and affordably. They can help us understand and respond to higher carbon dioxide levels. By testing applications of synthetic biology in a controlled way, ecotrons can provide transparent data to address concerns about safety and ethics. They can also lend insight into how to bottle a biosphere so people can one day live and work off-planet.

Some fear that altering DNA is playing God. In the same vein, God gave us the ability to engineer ecotrons and study biotechnologies in contained settings so we could increase biosafety, invent novel solutions, and build trust through open science.

Without public support, synthetic biology and ecotron science could lose funding or face bans, halting progress on environmental solutions and human space exploration. Ecotrons are our safeguard — a way to innovate responsibly while respecting ethical concerns.

Please champion federal funding and policies that support ecotron research facilities. Desert landscapes provide the highest level of containment, so a location isolated from waterways and plush vegetation would be optimal for biosafety. We will need a lot of ecotrons to achieve statistically significant reproducibility. Let us keep science moving forward for a healthier planet and a more resilient future.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Copy the letter above and paste it into your senators’ contact forms.

Share this page on social media to spread the word!

For LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, copy and paste this message:

Support ecotron research to tackle environmental problems, ensure safe biotech, and advance space exploration. A letter for your senators is included! Learn more: https://aime2solve.github.io/EcotronScience #Ecotrons #ComparativeBiospheromics

For Instagram, copy the message above and share it as a post or story with the link: https://aime2solve.github.io/EcotronScience.

Private foundations that might be persuaded to join the endowment effort:

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