"Biopunk" illuminates world of bio-hackers

In "Biopunk: DIY Scientists Hack the Software of Life," journalist Markus Wohlsen brings to light the efforts of do-it-yourself biotech inventors who are making use of such technologies as cheap DNA scans, free software and inexpensive research tools to develop new products. These bio-hackers' pursuits in some ways mirror the early efforts of computer industry titans of Apple and Google fame who began building their tech empires in garages. For example, Wohlsen follows a pair of entrepreneurs who have developed a DNA analysis tool that borrows concepts from open source software. Their tool costs around $500. Story