Gut Hack

Gut Hack from 2017 is a compelling and thought-provoking documentary that features biohacker Josiah Zayner, best recognized as a courageous pioneer in the budding realm of citizen science. Directed by Mario Furloni and Kate McLean, the movie explores the unconventional experiments Zayner undertakes, blurring the lines between professional research and personal biohacking.

Gut Hack chronicles roughly one year of Zayner's life, in which he embarks on an ambitious undertaking of attempting to modify his body's microbiome. The microbiome, a community of trillions of microbes residing within our bodies, plays an integral role in our overall health. Disturbances in this microbiome can lead to an array of health issues ranging from allergies and obesity to mental health disorders. Scientists and doctors worldwide have been trying to understand the role of microbiomes in health to develop medical interventions. However, the domain primarily remains uncharted due to its complexities.

Not daunted by the enormity of the task, Zayner, a prominent figure in the biohacking world, does not wait for institutional research and takes matters into his own hands. He decides to experiment on his own body by wiping out his existing gut flora completely, using antibiotics and proceeding with a self-experiment of an unsanctioned fecal transplant. The non-conventional practices come under scrutiny due to the associated ethical and legal questions. They, however, raise valuable questions about the future of biohacking, citizen science, and personalized medicine, highlighting the innate human desire for self-reliant health intervention.

The film compellingly combines elements of personal storytelling with an exposition of the fringe subculture of biohackers, portrayed through Zayner's unorthodox scientific quests in his homespun lab. Zayner, a former NASA scientist with a doctorate in Molecular Biology, employs his scientific acumen to embark on cutting-edge experimentation which despite being radical is grounded on real genomic science.

The narrative of Gut Hack and Zayner's journey into the discovery of his body's innermost secrets provides an engaging premise for the audience. Zayner renders transparency to his reasons and motivations for setting on this self-experimentation voyage in an era burgeoning with DIY biology initiatives. His obsessions with solutions to human imperfections, his unwavering commitment to open science, and independence from established scientific restrictions are depicted with fidelity, endowing a sense of authenticity.

The uniquely conflictual nature of Zayner’s work conveys the dynamic tension existing at the frontier of genetic engineering, specifically the interplay of regulations, risks, ethics, and accessibility to the new biotechnologies. On one hand, Zayner's attempts are seen as reckless, potentially harmful challenges to the firmly structured edifice of modern scientific research. On the other hand, his methods offer a tantalizing promise of democratizing science and making it more accessible to ordinary citizens.

Gut Hack is more than just a narrative of Zayner's audacious endeavor and the intense reflections of the biohacking subculture. It's a provocative exploration of narratives about science, social structures, ethical paradigms, and individual autonomy. The film probes the audience to contemplate the essence of scientific discovery and its means, the authority of personal rights over one's body, and the ethical constraints of scientific boundaries.

It also kindles dialogues about the expanding waypoint of 'N=1' research, the efficacy of individual experimentation in contrast to the conventional medical studies involving vast populations, and the potential and hazards of open-source DIY science. The viewers are riveted by the passion and determination of biohackers seized by the brave new world of biology and willing to push their bodies to the frontier of science.

In summary, Gut Hack offers an enlightening and even contentious insight into the pioneering, often dark corners of DIY biology through the personal and scientific journey of Josiah Zayner. Each frame propels the viewers to reflect on the broader implications of such 'at-home' experimental science. Filled with stirring scenes of scientific endeavor, intriguing insights into a fringe subculture, and deep philosophical queries, it's an invaluable addition to the expanding archive of documentaries scrutinizing the revolution of applied biological sciences.