Scientists Grow Bigger Monkey Brains Using Human Genes, Replicating Evolution

So, only a couple days after learning of the incoming bionic ape apocalypse from another member in a thread here, i've now learned some scientists have decided planet of the apes was some good inspiration and so have set about trying to recreate it.

Well...sorta...ok....anyway

A team of scientists have been able to increase the size.of fetal monkey brains by inserting a human specific gene responsible for increasing brain size into monkeys.

The results worked as intended and the fetal monkey brains increased dramatically in size. The scientists felt it would be unethical to allow a monkey human hybrid to be born so terminated them after 100 days.

link to study

interestingengineering.com...

It's our larger brains that set us apart from other primates. Back when we evolved from non-human primates, one specific gene came into play, which made our brains bigger while theirs stayed smaller. 

Now a collaboration between researchers in Germany at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics and in Japan at the Central Institute for Experimental Animals, has used that same gene to grow a monkey brain to be bigger for the first time. 

This study is not only incredible, it's also enlightening. It could replicate the moment in evolution where humans became separate from other primates. All due to one gene.

The results can be broken down into four sections. By inserting the gene:

The size of the monkeys' neocortex increased

Folding of the brain, similar to how a human brain is folded was induced

The relevant pro-generative cell type, which produces neurons, was increased

Specifically, it increased upper-layer neurons, which are the neurons that increase during evolution

This is crucial in order to maintain ethical boundaries. After about 100 days after the fetus had been growing, the international team unanimously agreed to remove the fetus through a C-section. Bringing a "new human-gene-influenced monkey into this world would step over the ethical line," said Huttner.

The left-hand fetus brain is normal, and the right-hand one is the enlargened human gene monkey brain, Source: Heide et al./MPI-CBG

Ummm so yeah...that's pretty #ed up right there. Cat's out of the bag now. These scientists may have thought bringing these things into the world would be a bad idea, i'm sure others will not have such qualms.

I really don't think such genetic engineering should be done. We're playing with things we really don't understand and mistakes in genetic engineering really could lead to the doom of all life on Earth.

Nature's had a long time to work everything out and come to this balance of life we have now. Humans coming along and messing with this is bad idea.

Also, just I mean, like...#ing human brained monkey hybrids...like just what the actual #???

I'm not going to get into the whole killing them thing...i'm pretty pro choice, but something seems wrong with creating these, I dunno what to call them, and just killing them like it's nothing.

These scientists essentially just created a new species, something that may have been not unlike us..

Honestly, this whole line of research just turns my stomach...

a reply to: dug88
First to say

So it begins

a reply to: dug88

genetic modification of the species is coming. There are already many different modifications that I am sure are underway, including increasing the nueron connections in the brain and making the brain more dense, this leads to increased intelligence. Or how about bone density, or cell replication, or elimination or the prion that leads to cell decay so that when a cell replicates it can replicate indefinitely curing old age? All these things will be possible in the next 50 years to those who have enough money, as these evolve so will our species as well, including reducing population and replacing the population with robotic workers. All these things are eventuality, how else do you thing we will reach 500 million?

Camain

a reply to: dug88

I'm pretty sure I saw this movie and it didn't end well.

a reply to: dug88

think some human could benefit from having normal sized brains

a reply to: dug88

The results worked as intended and the fetal monkey brains increased dramatically in size. The scientists felt it would be unethical to allow a monkey human hybrid to be born so terminated them after 100 days.

Not sure which is most unethical for me in this case, Creating or Destroying....
I understand that research are meant with best intentions. But nature decided and took it's course, no need for humans to interfere. 😐

Like they never let one be born 🤔🤔🤔

a reply to: camain

We're playing with things we barely understand. To assume we can do better than billions of years of evolutions and global systems all working in balance to come to this point point is such a ridiculous level of arrogance.

Humans don't have a good track record when it comes to playing with the fundamental fabrics of reality and life. We end up making some terrifying things.

Genetic engineering is playing with millions and millions of years of natural selection and evolution that has been driven by the conditions on earth. We barely understand what most genes do. We have an idea, but no large coherent picture of the consequences of every single gene being there or not or its state. We have no real idea of the full long term effects altering these things will have over multiple generations.

Genetic engineering really does have the potential to doom all life on earth.

a reply to: Bigburgh

Yeah, I feel the same way. As much as people playing god terrifies me, if we're going to do it, shouldn't we take responsibility for what we create?

a reply to: dug88

Planet of The Apes scenario for sure.

a reply to: dug88

Well abomination is all that I can say, that is NOT evolution or even Replicating Evolution it is Genetic Splicing.

That is no longer a monkey brain OR a human brain but a Chimera.

Chimera or hybrids are the stuff of nightmares, think about there suffering let along dangers they may pose.

This is exactly the kind of thing Stalin would have done since he even tried to BREED human's with apes.

Is it not in our human nature to create, manipulate, and destroy? It looks like this is an example of human nature covering all fronts in one shot.

humm would not make much of a difference .
Humans have had 20,000 years of finding betetr ways to kill each other i guess we will see if apes can top that and do it in a 1000

a reply to: dug88

That LHS brain looks like a penis. I cannot unsee it.

And thats how the Anunnaki created chimeras and dinosaurs.... and probably those cassowary gut spillers. Pretty much everything in Australia for that matter. Adding human cells just does what Genesis describes... and why Noah was called "perfect in his generations". His DNA wasnt tampered with or his line didnt breed with the Anunnaki.

Or this is just mad science that benefits no one and a waste of precious resources. Not all countries are bound by ethics or laws protecting ethical science.. so yep. Dinosaurs and cassowary...

a reply to: fatpastyhead

I was wondering how long that would take. I tried really hard not to mention that.

a reply to: dug88

The Chinese and South Koreans are already making clones in Chinas case 2 twins born resistant to HIV and in the SoKor replicating pets and apparently woolly mammoths will be coming back soon

It was Clinton(POTUS) that banned human cloning, you don't ban something that hasn't happened or is able to happen.

With things like the human genome project and CRISPER and god knows what else i think it would be foolish to think there aren't already clones or at least modified humans.

the Realians/cloneAid said they had a woman give birth to a human clone in 2000.


we already have been messing with human birth rates with IVF, its only a few more steps to editing that embryos genetics and once people have regular access to gene editing their children parents will feel forced to edit their children just to keep up with the others.

i think people would accept gene editing before any type of transhumanism situation that requires silicone implants(not those kinds lol)

a reply to: penroc3

The movie Gattaca from how many years ago is exactly where we will head I think.

Whether that's a good or bad thing idk. It is disturbing none the less.

We don't need to create any more liberals.

a reply to: dug88

Imagine the horror when a human mind realizes that it's trapped in the body of a monkey.