I can only hope that any future discussion of the limits of human biology will be characterized by more composure, more self-awareness and a more measured consideration of the consequences of such research and how to control them that is evident at the moment. The author is a molecular biologist and former GDR civil rights activists and is conducting research at the Max Delbruck Center in Berlin. Like many industrialized nations, Israel has become much more environmentally aware over the past decade. The process has been helped by a unique competition organized by the Council for a Beautiful Israel, which awards annual prizes to exemplary economic enterprises. When we first started the competition in 1980, industry was Grey, ugly and polluting.
Today there are many attractive looking factories and industrial zones.
The concept of aesthetically pleasing factories and industrial parks was pioneered by local entrepreneur Stef Wertheimer. He established the Tefen Industrial park some 20 years ago on a remote mountain summit in western Galilee. The park's carefully designed buildings complement the landscape and offer employees breathtaking views, while the public areas include meticulously maintained lawn and gardens, as well as tasteful sculpture. While Tefen's success was universally acclaimed, many local industrialists questioned the economic wisdom of such an initiative. In addition, dozens of other industrial parks for both high-tech and traditional industries have since been built based on the Tefen model.