Synthetic biology and the symbiosis of human, animal and artificial intelligence have a precedent in the chimeric creatures of global mythology. The ancient siren — a shapeshifting fish-woman (mermaid), bird-woman (harpy) or snake-woman (Lilith, Melusine) — is one such hybrid.

Sirens became symbolic of erotic desire luring men to self-destruction; the passion their beauty arouses turns to horror on revelation of the hybrid body. The myth of the siren, like the contemporary female cyborg, stages the tension between desire and defence — raising age-old questions about fear, moral prejudice, sexual politics, power and gender.