Fears over synthetic biology emerged in 2001 when Australian scientists were trying to genetically modify a mousepox virus in the hope of making a contraceptive to keep mice populations down.

• 对合成生物学的担忧，是在2001年浮现。当时澳洲科学家试图修改一种鼠痘病毒，希望能制造使老鼠繁殖率下降的避孕物。