I thought to myself: What are the most important problems that society faces that I could contribute to? And it was clear that finding new sustainable sources of energy was the most important.
Frances ArnoldRead
My whole interest is, how do you use evolution as an innovation engine? How does evolution solve new problems that life faces? And to have a system that can create a whole new chemical bond that biology hasn't done before, to me, demonstrates the power of nature to innovate.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the role of evolution in driving innovation and solving problems in nature.
Frances Arnold highlights the relationship between evolution and innovation, suggesting that the processes of evolution can be harnessed as a powerful engine to tackle new challenges faced by life. She illustrates the potential of nature to innovate by creating unique solutions, such as new chemical bonds, that biology has not previously achieved, thereby showcasing the impressive capabilities of evolutionary mechanisms in fostering progress.
Themes
EvolutionInnovationNatureProblemsChemistry
In practice
Example use cases
In a keynote speech about technological advancements in biology.
More from Frances Arnold
All quotes →I see a future in which nature gives us a helping hand. Instead of destroying the natural world, why can't we use it to solve the kinds of problems that we are facing?
Frances ArnoldRead
The DNA-encoded catalytic machinery of the cell can rapidly learn to promote new chemical reactions when we provide new reagents and the appropriate incentive in the form of artificial selection.
Frances ArnoldRead
Most innovative things are not obvious to other people at the time. You have to believe in yourself. If you've got a good idea, follow it even though others tell you it's not.
Frances ArnoldRead
We've been modifying the biological world at the level of DNA for thousands of years. Somehow there is this new fear of what we already have been doing and that fear has limited our ability to provide real solutions.
Frances ArnoldRead
What I want to do is encourage women to take on this incredibly exciting and fun challenge to use their brains for the benefit of humanity but through science and technology.
Frances ArnoldRead
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