Hypersymbiotics™: An artistic reflection on the ethical and environmental implications of microbiome research and new technologies

•Hypersymbiotics™ speculatively explores ways we might become human ‘super-organisms’.•Elements of the artworks are made using synthetic biology, AI and stem cell research.•The text explores contemporary notions of ‘snake oil’.•Hypersymbiotics™ can help us think critically about advertising or the media. This essay describes my ongoing series “Hypersymbiotics™,” which began in 2012 and explores the potential ways in which our microbiome, genetics, epigenetics and even our environment could potentially be enhanced to turn us into human ‘super-organisms.’ The series includes performances and installations involving BioArt, as well as photographic documentation of ephemeral artworks and takes the form of a vehicle for public discussion about new healthcare technologies. The essay discusses artworks made using synthetic biology techniques including CRISPR genetic modification in bacteria and yeasts, and gene editing in plants, as well as using artificial intelligence and stem cell research. It critiques the role of the media and advertising in the promotion of complex new biomedical technologies. The “Hypersymbiotics™” series is deeply concerned with promoting public understanding of the ethical implications of new scientific developments and enabling reflection and debate. At its core the artwork is about knowledge, power, and control and where that resides.