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Late last month, the crowdfunding site Kickstarter quietly amended its rules. Genetically modified organisms joined alcohol, drugs, and firearms on the list of things people aren’t allowed to give donors as a reward for funding their projects.
Kickstarter initially offered no explanation for the change, but everyone knew what project prompted the rule change. This spring, a group of bioengineers posted a plan to genetically engineer a glowing plant and offered anyone who donated $40 or more their own packet of seeds. The fundraising effort was an immediate success. “Holy Moley! My dreams of having a greenhouse rose garden/glowing Avatar-like wonderland will soon be realized!!” read a typical comment on the project, which soon rocketed to almost half a million dollars, far surpassing its goal of $65,000. To some citizen scientists, it seemed like the glowing plant team had hit upon a way to fund bioengineering projects without winning federal grants or soliciting venture capital investment.
Others were less excited. The environmental watchdog ETC Group (Erosion, Technology and Concentration) petitioned Kickstarter and the USDA to stop the project, warning that...
Kickstarter initially offered no explanation for the change, but everyone knew what project prompted the rule change. This spring, a group of bioengineers posted a plan to genetically engineer a glowing plant and offered anyone who donated $40 or more their own packet of seeds. The fundraising effort was an immediate success. “Holy Moley! My dreams of having a greenhouse rose garden/glowing Avatar-like wonderland will soon be realized!!” read a typical comment on the project, which soon rocketed to almost half a million dollars, far surpassing its goal of $65,000. To some citizen scientists, it seemed like the glowing plant team had hit upon a way to fund bioengineering projects without winning federal grants or soliciting venture capital investment.
Others were less excited. The environmental watchdog ETC Group (Erosion, Technology and Concentration) petitioned Kickstarter and the USDA to stop the project, warning that...