Existential Risk, Emerging Technology, and Democracy: The Cambridge Recombinant DNA Debate, 50 Years On

Join us for a day of conversation and reflection on how societies govern world-changing technologies.

Marking fifty years since the 1976 Cambridge recombinant DNA debate, this symposium convenes historians, scientists, policymakers, and journalists. Together, they will examine how emerging technologies have been identified, debated, and governed, from the recombinant DNA discussions of the 1970s to current conversations around AI and synthetic biology.

Structured as a series of moderated conversations, the program explores key questions such as who raises the alarm, how institutions respond, and how public trust is built and sustained over time. The symposium is hosted by Ian Coss, creator of The Big Dig podcast from GBH News.

The Existential Risk, Emerging Technology, and Democracy symposium is being held in conjunction with the new theatrical production, No Recombination Without Representation. Performances will occur at Sullivan Chamber in Cambridge City Hall.

This symposium was made possible through the generous contributions of MIT Museum supporters Phil and Ann Sharp and MIT’s Department of Science, Technology, and Society. This program is part of the MIT Museum’s year-long exploration of TIME, and is part of the Massachusetts 250 activities celebrating the many “firsts” and innovations created in our state through the last 250 years.

June 12, 2026
9:00 am - 4:30 pm

$10 for MIT affiliates and $20 for the general public, with lunch provided.

We have a limited number of free tickets available for full-time students with ID. Please reach out to museumregadmin@mit.edu.