Advances in synthetic biology are expanding scientists’ ability to design biological systems from synthetic components, raising questions about whether some innovations could create risks that outweigh their benefits. One possibility is mirror life—a hypothetical form of life, such as a mirror bacterium, built from proteins and nucleic acids with the opposite molecular handedness of those found in nature. Some scientists warn that, if created, mirror bacteria could pose an unprecedented global threat because they might evade the immune systems of humans, animals, and plants; cause severe infections; and outstrip society’s ability to develop and deploy countermeasures at scale.
Despite these concerns, awareness of mirror life remains limited outside specialist communities. Governments have not yet articulated policy responses or developed communication strategies to explain what mirror life is, what risks it could pose, and how close science may be to creating it.
The authors propose principles that the United States and other governments should consider when developing communication strategies about mirror life for the public, researchers, businesses, and government agencies. They first establish a baseline understanding of mirror life, including what it is, the risks it could pose, and when it might become technically feasible. They then make the case for a government-led communication strategy and identify five principles for effective communication: accessibility, transparency, careful use of analogies, tailored messages to specific audiences, and anticipation of objections, misperceptions, and inaccuracies. The authors conclude with initial steps governments can take to put these principles into practice.
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