T HE B IOHACKING M OVEMENT BY THE G LOBAL

C ROWDSOURCING AND D ECENTRALIZATION IN THE N EW

E CONOMY

Edilson Gomes de Lima∗

A BSTRACT: The sampling on a new drug it requires thousands of analytical tests, however, most run into
ethics, regulations and bureaucracies. The hacker movement in computing also progresses, e.g. in the
exponential movement biohacking, bringing new methods, informational and objective with high-level
present potential. This is about an advanced and innovative movement around the world, contemplating
the science and technology, with some involved keywords: biohacking, biotechnology, cyberpunk, decen-
tralization, DIY, dystopia technologies with new mores, nanotechnology and higher science. Some initial
questions are already being raised, as: What Would Be the Best "Hello World"for Biosciences? Generating
A Method for Biohacking. Publicly exposed by (Lima, 2017:24) in some hacker’s environments.

Índice bute and add more and more scientific progress.

This has opened an innovative route for resear-
Introdução . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 chers, individuals and scientists linked to institu-
1 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 tions to act independently. In addition to offering
2 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 boundless chances for enthusiasts like biohackers.
3 General Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 There are several new processes, methods, low-
4 New Perspectives for the Growing De- cost devices, software, high-quality applied rese-
centralized Economy . . . . . . . . . . 3 arch biosystems. In addition to binaural sequen-
5 The Cyberpunk and the Gothic Move- cers, with compact technology in a desktop mo-
ment as Inspiration Sources . . . . . . . 3 del, workflow proofing, crowdsourcing technolo-
6 The Biosciences Progress Meeting with gies new matrix and arrangements. Together with
the Great Technological Matrix . . . . . 4 this arsenal of new possibilities, scientists, rese-
7 Evidences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 archers and large companies have a new possibi-
Final Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 lities route as high incentive in all history. Top
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 searches have been carried out in hard War times
and in record times. But, nowadays, it is not only
the technological complexity that has been enlar-
ged but mainly the bureaucracy, the excess of re-
Introdução gulation and excessive oversight that has plaste-
red the whole process. As we can see in Tho-
N a world increasingly with open and focused in-
I formation, and with collaborative and networ-
ked systems, processes and methods, decentraliza-
mas Hager works, e.g. The Demon Under Mi-
croscope from 2008. The research followed its
own rhythm without massive external interference.
tion along with DIY do it yourself, came to contri-
∗ Institute of Engineering on Nanoscience and Nanotechno- de reprodução, distribuição, comunicação pública ou transforma-
logy ção da totalidade ou de parte desta obra carece de expressa auto-
rização do editor e do(s) seu(s) autor(es). O artigo, bem como a

c 2018, Edilson Gomes de Lima. autorização de publicação das imagens, são da exclusiva respon-

c 2018, Universidade da Beira Interior. sabilidade do(s) autor(es).
O conteúdo deste artigo está protegido por Lei. Qualquer forma
 Edilson Gomes de Lima

Nowadays, besides the complexity new sciences and a large part in the clutches of the states, being
expanded enormously, with excessive complexity largely centralized was corrupted, as it is said in
in an infinite matrix. Before this critical point, the core. But a large non-centralized part, the so-
what we have nowadays is the search for alterna- called original movement, migrated predominan-
tives. And the biohacking movement presents it- tly to the deep-web, and in this environment, it is
self as an exemplary and unlimited opportunity for free from contact with regulations, states, and cor-
anyone who can use this new route to leverage sci- porations. However, still largely in the virtual en-
ence by science in technologies without limits. vironment, however, a large mass of these hackers
is being incorporating at its core the classic sci-
ences such as biology, physics, chemistry and too
1 Discussion
nanoscience. With this new reach are emerging so-
This article aims to bring to the knowledge the al- called biohackers and nanohackers who are enthu-
ternative to overcome the excess of regulations, siasts using logic at the cutting-edge science to ge-
bureaucracies and the persecution of ethics com- nerate the new and high level of innovations, as
mittees that delay the development in bioscience e.g. performing in vivo tests on humans as a kind
nowadays. Contemplating cutting-edge science of bypass against excessive bureaucracy, regulati-
along the common underworlds in cities, such as ons and ethics.
street and virtual movements, including the cyber-
punk and biohacking ideology. An analysis, th-
3 General Notes
rough a concise logical mathematical vision of dis-
ciplines that intertwine in a complex matrix in the The objective of this basic discussion is to bring
world economic scenario. Considering this un- the biohacking movement to a new level, besi-
derworld, cyberpunk movement, biohacking and des collaborating with its popularization. As no-
biohacking, these as an alternative and route for ted earlier, e.g. the Star Trek series was a source
the formal surveys for accelerating the actual pro- of inspiration for many technological innovations.
duction and yield. This movement opens an alter- Pictures of dystopian science fiction and several
native route, to include in this complex system real works that have escaped common sense. Inclu-
actions in the new alternative researches matrix. ding too music arts, e.g. books and music as Me-
This complex scenario, involving hundreds of va- gadeth dystopia album paper scientific fictions, in
riables, incorporates a new matrix in the scientific which it presents in its lyrics a clear image of dys-
environment including new agents in the high new topic future coming. Hackers are a clear example
cutting-edge technology. With ample interlaced of what it is to be outside the bureaucratic impo-
content, generating logical chains linking classical sed rules and the world considered normal. The
science with new technologies. Following in the hackers in the pure sense of the term are pione-
footsteps of traditional hackers, biohackers could ers of innovations. However, many of today’s te-
be a bridge to the rapid advancement of research chnologies are the result of a community of indi-
by large corporations and researchers in general. viduals who have worked hard to initiate small,
Against impositions, ethics committees, regulati- unexplored changes on rooms and garages or with
ons and bureaucracies. An innovative route and simple places and actions. Actually, much sci-
infinite possibilities for the accelerated progress of ence that was done only in complex and expen-
research and new advances. To generate innova- sive laboratories due to the technological barriers
tions in higher potential, as a biologic technology or the bureaucracy, but with new, the modern glo-
or independent decentralized machine, IoT Inter- bal trade, new sources of distribution, globally in-
net of things in machines and others high techno- tegrated logistics chain, the costs of complex ex-
logies. Against all controls, centralizations and re- periments have greatly reduced. With the redu-
gulations apparatus that are inconsistent with dy- ced costs, less bureaucracy, and feasibility with
namics of new technologies. high-level equipment such as microscopes, cryo-
genic nanoscopes, low-cost imaging devices, auto-
2 Overview mated DNA sequencers and many others low-cost
analytical equipment. In addition to the Internet
The classical hacking movement over the years has with the possibility in integrated communities, fo-
been perfecting, had its heyday during the popula- rums and chats on time, are examples of how much
rization of computer science, however, this move- the complex has become possible and feasible. In
ment along the time, has centred on corporations this thinking bias, it is considered that hackers now

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The Biohacking Movement by the Global Crowdsourcing and Decentralization in the New Economy

have the vanguard possibility to add to their func- example? There is already a monumental volume
tions new and innovative applications. By joining of knowledge generated and possible cutting-edge
their expertise with the traditional sciences. From technologies and new completely. Also, the issue
this point of view, we can imagine the reach of a now with decentralization lies in the result of more
global biohacking community specializing in plant people thinking around the world questioning the
biology, from basic prospecting to modifications same matters, and with that, more concentration
in genes with complex genetic editing increasin- and practical knowledge applications.
gly cheaper, alternative methods and innovations
without restrictions. What would prevent a hac- Take a look in study 1 – a view about the esti-
ker group from sequencing a vegetable species, mated concentration of knowledge along the time,
and in open source, to work on this, just to cite an through decentralization.

Study 1. The concentration of knowledge over time, based on the compression of

new technology with the increase of dystopia and technological scientific advance

4 New Perspectives for the Growing towards the dystopia and high cutting-edge tech-
Decentralized Economy nologies.

5 The Cyberpunk and the Gothic

The hacker culture is a creative generation as a po- Movement as Inspiration Sources
tential generate new methods as scientific and te-
chnological a movement above all else, but with a The hacker movement by incorporating classical
detail that gives you uncommon power that is in sciences into its studies and actions gains an unpre-
the creativity and liberty in actions. What would cedented array of action. This will form a highly
be of the hackers without the creativity and the complex thread of unprecedented applications in
high analytical capacity? We have more to learn biohacking movement. To have a base of all this
from hackers than from traditional science modes the pictures culture and others presents us some
in some cases, e.g., the René Descartes in Dis- models, as by the cyberpunk vision of the world,
course on the Method is a good case of high le- adding hacker culture and classical sciences in a
vel in scientific methods, increasing and adding higher dystopia environment futuristic world, in-
with the hackers the logic and high creativity. No- volving details from high secret diplomacy to su-
netheless, we may dare to include the traditional burban environments. All this generating unexpec-
sciences, beyond the current scope of computer ted results that we could not even dare describe
science, engineering and to adding or enhancing here. From medical applications to complex in-
biosciences, such as genetic engineering, and na- novations, chained to high-level logic, but not in
noscience for the biohackers actions. Resulting the virtual world, but in our concrete world. The
in a high concentration of knowledge for analy- biohacking culture will englobe itself with bios-
tical concepts along the time, getting a real form, cience made before only in high-level labs. Take

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 Edilson Gomes de Lima

note that the term cyberpunk is a term linked to cy- to serials, explore this very well. Almost always
bernetics linked to the punk movement, something in a future of dystopia, in which everything chan-
like cyber and anarchism, but with high-level of or- ges rapidly due to a ubiquitous high technology.
ganizations. Being considered also a subgenre of Everything happening in an atmosphere with an
science fiction, that contemplates the low quality excess and absurd amount concentration of infor-
of life next to the high technology. It is a blend mation. Many of these works, such as films, are
of advanced science with high design, a matrix shown in Table 1 below.
culture of high information with cybernetics. In This culture of cyberpunk requires a lot of lo-
this scope is inserted high concentration of disrup- gic and math chain rules in events that occur at the
tion of common thoughts, disintegration and radi- same time. And in the face of all this, there is still
cal change in some values and social order, accor- the important change in the human body, which
ding to the (Hassler M.Donald, 2008:14) work. often occurs in these settings, including the cul-
In cinema, there is a great appreciation of this ture with tattoos, even various bioimplants, chan-
culture, in which the characters are always futu- ges in the futuristic bodies, from chip implants
ristic, mostly marginalized, something like the re- to the technological device’s inclusion, something
ality presents itself many times, with lonely peo- like transhumanism culture. These invasive and
ple, distanced from a full life, and always living on evasive changes are commonly seen in cyberpunk
the margins of a society that is judges highly cor- and disrupter culture. Look at the list of cultural
rect. The cinema and various works, from books works and pictures in table 1:

Table 1. Fiction and Cyberpunk Movies – Attention for subject involving future of dystopia.
The list of films presented is a reference to the world that is been building.
Fictional Cyberpunk Movies – The Future and the Dystopia Under Construction
District 9, 2009 - A Scanner Darkly, 2006 - Papurika, 2006 – Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, 2004 – Me-
tropolis, 1925,2001 – Kaubôi bibappu: Tengoku no tobira, 2001 – The Matrix, 1999 – Pi, 1998 – Dark City,
1998 - End of Evangelion, 1997 – Twelve Monkeys, 1996 – Kôkaku Kidôtai, 1995 – Strange Days, 1995 – The
terminator, 1991 – Tetsuo, 1989 – Akira, 1988 – RoboCop, 1987 – Brazil, 1985 – Videodrome, 1983 – Blade
Runner, 1982 – Alien, 1979 – THX 1138, 1971 – La Jetée, 1962

In addition to these cinematographic works, would be William Harvey who conducted research
the printed literature contributes immensely. Many on blood circulation. At present, apparently so-
of today’s technologies were first idealized in mething obvious, but the reason for blood circu-
works of fiction, e.g. StarTreck. And the tradi- lation was not at all clear, around 1530. Thus,
tional post-hacker, the one that only operated di- although Harvey understood the mechanics of cir-
gitally, will have a new step in its progress. We culation, it was not yet clear why and the reason
can summarize the biohacking movement as the for that, so then he postulated for the next resear-
practice of unifying biology with the movement chers. "How many things are accepted in physi-
ethical hacker. However, there is much more in ology, pathology, and therapy from which we do
this movement, with a strong capacity of cutting- not know the causes, though we have no doubt
edge technology generations. The dystopia future as to their reason?"William Harvey. In this note,
and cyberpunk are a strong example for biohac- he referred to the understanding of the reason for
king world, where we can remember a sentence by the circulation of blood, and today we know that
William Gibson: “ Before you diagnose yourself it is the form nature use for organisms to carry
with depression or low self-streem, first make sure oxygenation to the tissues, nutrition, to carry out
that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assho- the cleaning of debris, antibodies and other parti-
les”. cles using fluids as transport. Since Gregor Men-
del with his dealings with plants, making crosses
between peas of two colours, inducing the darker
6 The Biosciences Progress Meeting colouration, over time the offspring would appear
with the Great Technological in both colours, something like the dominance of
Matrix some genes over others. Although this understan-
ding has only become clearer with the discovery of
The curiosity about the functioning of living DNA , around 1950’s by Maurice Wilkins and Ro-
beings and plants is enormous. An example salind Franklin. By 1985, plans for complete DNA

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The Biohacking Movement by the Global Crowdsourcing and Decentralization in the New Economy

sequencing began. But it officially started in 1990 The works of filmmaker Terry Gilliam are a mi-
and ended in 2001. Since then, there has been lestone to the hacker progress and innovations.
a race to understand the functions of each gene Where we concluded that the movement biohac-
and its interrelationships. During the last decades, king and DIY joined the traditional sciences will
these investigations have created various methodo- have a long development path and opportunities.
logies, techniques and technologies, such as au- In all fields, but especially in biology and medi-
tomated sequencers, mass-based comparison and cine together with nanosciences. The conclusion
mass-processing software, and biochemical reac- we reached in this study is that with the knowledge
tions technologies. Techniques such as PCR, se- generated by the joint creativity, and with the new
quencing, recombinant DNA technique, antibodies tools that we have nowadays. With the high decen-
used in therapies, enzymatic fermentation proces- tralization, complex, expensive procedures, new
ses, better comprehension on nitrogen fixation in methods and cheapest tools, in many cases already
plants, tissue culture, biological extraction, inse- can be realized outside the academies also in large
mination, DNA and other more modern techniques scientific production centres. Tools such as fast
such as the famous CRISPR methodology. At pre- and low cost, including PCR , CRISPR, in addition
sent, all this concentration of knowledge is con- to the outsourcing texts, characterization, complex
densing and passing through filters, for real appli- and practical methods. Also, some alternatives
cations, in which although the CRISPR methodo- low-cost bioreactors, gas operation, general low-
logy is promising, it does not rule out the old te- cost equipment’s, biological gases, new innovative
chniques but used in innovative ways. There are methods, and various methods and operations with
several techniques that are under study, although processes with nanoscience. We still must consi-
the focus is on the fight against diseases and can- der the increasing possibility of complex and high-
cer, this does not rule out new technologies. As risk operations that can be outsourced to speciali-
an example, in tissue engineering, organ produc- zed laboratories. What transforms any company,
tion and even, in an even bolder attempt in the individual and ideas that can be professionalized
future a possible artificial life, even if it is a mi- and have a great development, decentralized and
crobe, mounted by the man hands. The question outside the major research centres. It is a uni-
is whether this would be possible if no we even que revolution that we are witnessing and growing
know exactly what life is, for a possible artificial every year, as showed in study 2 as follows.
life. In short, we are still in that situation as earlier
postulated by William Havey about understanding
the reason for blood circulation. Actually, reach
some technology for artificial life, manipulating
iPSCs or other technology sure will increase the
science level. Although we have understood the
blood circulation its mechanics clearer in our days,
the life sciences, now with this new possibility of
decentralization, with biohackers, will have more
people thinking about the subject, and this brings
more knowledge, including in old know consoli-
dated things. Although there are people against
this new world, we cannot deny the contribution
of hackers in computing that we have today. And
it will not be different with biology, it will only
be necessary to popularize the basic tools and al-
locate all this science in the laissez-faire to promo-
ting more freedom.

7 Evidences
From the beginning of the creation of works of
science, fiction humanity began to disregard their
physical limits and to consider the infinite within
scientific academic concepts, for a final frontier.

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 Edilson Gomes de Lima

Study 2. The importance of the decentralization in construction of dystopic world

On the data in Study 2, we can verify that it sors. Included in all new compact technologies for
was based on a study with the high data concen- easy access to expensive and complex now availa-
tration in the scientific survey, to prove the impor- ble. All this opened an innovative route for indi-
tance and progress that the increasing decentrali- viduals and scientists not linked to institutions, for
zation of science and new economics will bring in act independently and with higher individual free-
the coming years. Especially for the progress of dom. This new action of these enthusiasts such as
the dystopic futuristic world in increasing high de- biohackers may seem somewhat amateur at first as
velopments bringing by biohackers and other de- were the hackers. However, there is in this new va-
centralized cutting-edge movements. It was de- riable the way for the great ones to advance their
monstrated in the study II using the method used projects. In science doing everything within the
was based on the concentration of pieces of kno- norms, regulations, committees of ethics are so-
wledge, estimated in volume new high-level bi- mething costly and paralysing. The biohacking is
oinformation’s, for that was used the international already a major new scenario for the development
system of units, in Petabytes, 10-15 bytes volume. of science, R & D into the continuous progress of
Based on growing cross-knowledge with greater biosciences. The new variables are not popping up
freedom, and decentralization for years. This in- just to dodge this costly path. The progress that is
dicates a fertile field to be exploited by the new underway and is immense, for the unprecedented
professions and especially by the biohackers who benefit and progress of science.
will be the forerunners in this field.
“In a dystopian futuristic scenario, a pos-
sible patent for a tyrannical state on
Final Concepts a very particular mechanism of human
DNA will only be fought with a strong
In a world with more and more open information,
barrier against these attacks against huma-
and with collaborative network systems, crowd-
nity by biohackers who as in fiction may
sourcing, new processes, methods and increasing
be the new heroes”.
decentralization, new opportunities are open. The
culture of biohacking with DIY do it yourself, it is
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