The future of humankind lies within genetic engineering.

My post comes really in three parts. Medical, Enhancement, and Cosmetic genetics.

The first side to it is using genetic engineering to stop the suffering of humankind, blot out genetic defects that cause so many so much much pain.

Did you know, that our brains actually have a "clock" gene. It is timing our life, our bodily functions, how fast we grow, when to do this, that, when to slow down, and eventually stop..

Elixir Pharmeceuticals, by resetting the gene that controls ageing, have increased the lifespan in worms by six times. It could work for us as well..

Yes you heard right. We will soon be able to use genetic engineering to cheat death.

The next logical, and most obviously more controversial side to genetic engineering, is its use to enhance the human body. There is currently research going on this field, although it is hard to move on in this field as there are laws forebidding it.

But what would you say, to giving your son/daughter/other, bones rivalling the strength of steel, eyes 10 times better than that of a golden eagle, smell that could outsmell 200 bloodhounds, the hearing of a bat, the speed of a puma...............the intelligence far beyond any known creature on earth? Creativity, Inginuity, IQ, Imagination, could all be increased 10 fold and beyond. We could reach a new level of life we couldnt even dream of gaining naturally. Is that really so bad?

Lastly, and the most....well fun, is using genetic engineering to change our appearance.

Across time, all around the world, humans have experimented with altering our appearance. The first species to have gained our sense of self (Apparently chimpanzees also have a limited self awareness), alongside it we gained the ability to imagine, "What if i could change myself", or "I dont like the way i look, so i'll tattoo myself".

I wonder, if we could use GE as a kind of, "next level of tattoos and body piercings".

Being able to replace our skin-producing genes with say, a crocodiles, we could have crocodile scales. This would be a novelty product and would have to be reversable for it to become popular. But tiger fur for a month or so? A tail?

Unfortunately, religious groups are dubbing genetic engineering as "evil" and "the devils work", altering us unnaturally, and that we should evolve naturally. Ironically they dont believe in evolution either. Even more irony is that the betterment of mankind is considered satanic, but disallowing us to save lives and advance the human race is gods work??? Am I missing something

Even though this this technology has far more great advantages than disadvantages, the technology is shunned, due mostly to a lack of understanding. Humankind is naturally afraid of what it doesnt understand. With guidance, and information, i believe we can change peoples natural affliction to genetic engineering, and lead humanity into a golden era.

The changes to make your eyes stronger do they have to be implemented when before your born or at any time in life can a average person reap the benifits?

Well there is the easy way: alter the genetics of you before you are born, (aka. input/replace genes of you as an embryo)

The next way: Gene therapy, by injecting a person with a retrovirus (dont go at the word virus, its a good thing in this case ) that contains a genes that do whatever they do, and depending on what it is for, overwrites the genes you already have with a better version, or adds extra genetic data which will become part of your genetic makeup.

basically if you wanted to have for example croc skin, you would have gene therapy, containing genes that grow crocodile skin cells, which would replace the human skin producing genes with croc ones. after a few weeks, your skin would have (unnoticebly) flaked off, and underneath would be fairly crocodilic skin.

Of course thats the simple version. There is a lot more involved in the science side.

Sounds pretty neat. I remember when I was in the fourth grade I was experimenting with HTML, mainly colors. Anyways I kinda would look at it like that. Maybe if I become a Millioanire and a bonified scientists ill go to an island in international waters. And make aclone and experiment...
I think thatd be the best thing to do. Because theyre are laws against killing people so if you had an accident in and experiment and they died you would be arrested but if you have a CLONE wich I don't think is qualified as a human... Accidents can happen. Seeing how Crocidiles have different genes and genetic make-up as us, then modifying them wouldn't be the same and could result differently. Where a CLONE would have the same everything as us just not be considered human... Just my Idea.

it would be great if we used it for the things you listed only.....but come on,someone will end up ruining the whole thing by altering people to do their own evil bidding.

Most likely yea.....some dude will probably come along and.....therapize (therapize??? :lol a load of criminals into killing machines, strength of an elephant, hyper strong bullet proof skin, deadly snake poison gland thingys.....etc.....Sigh....

As a side thing about the clones.....if they grew outside a womb, they wouldnt have bellybuttons would they?

i guess they wouldn't? weird

Originally posted by Shadow88
As a side thing about the clones.....if they grew outside a womb, they wouldnt have bellybuttons would they?

They need to be fed in some way, and this would be the easist way I think.. But then again, without a placenta, maybe it doesnt develop?

Remind me again what cloning has to offer us again? And I mean cloning full people not tissue/organ cloning which can be done completely seperately from cloning a full human being.

Originally posted by Shadow88
Well there is the easy way: alter the genetics of you before you are born, (aka. input/replace genes of you as an embryo)

The next way: Gene therapy, by injecting a person with a retrovirus (dont go

at the word virus, its a good thing in this case

) that contains a genes that do whatever they do, and depending on what it is for, overwrites the genes you already have with a better version, or adds extra genetic data which will become part of your genetic makeup.

It's not QUITE that simple.

Firstly, there's not just one gene that controlls this... there's a lot of genes. In order to get croc skin, you would have to insert stuff and turn off genes and do a lot of monkeying in every single cell of your body. Some of the stuff you were doing (turning off certain enzyme productions) might not work out well for your particular body and could make you very ill or kill you.

And then there's the problem of getting enough "viruses" to enough cells of your body... if they run loose and multiply as they liked, you might end up with croc skin plating your internal organs and that would be fatal.

I think we will have implants and other cosmetic things. I don't think we'll have genetic engineering except for medical problems for a very long time.

If you want to turn into a purse when you die be my guest.

I think we will have implants and other cosmetic things. I don't think we'll have genetic engineering except for medical problems for a very long time

Really? www.abc.net.au...

Genetic Doping is the next big thing in genetics and it's MUCH closer then you think.

The coolest thing I've come across in this area is something called 'negligible senescence'. Basically, the term is applied to species whose cells exhibit negligible aging. There are a few species that are lucky enough to have this naturally. The one I read about was this type of turtle. It can live essentially forever, until something eats it or it starves or gets mortally wounded. They don't succumb to 'old age'. Turtles from this species have been found that are centuries old. I'll have to see if I can dig up the article.

If whatever genes allow the turtle to live longer could be inserted into the human genome, that would be really cool

I really hate that term. Why don't we just called "Extreme Longevity"

I am not sure I want to live forever. what if i get convicted of a crime and they sentence me to life in prison. I think that a person can live alot in 100 years. 200 might be a bit too long. there i sonly so much you can see or do before you get completely jaded.

Originally posted by scienceguy94
I am not sure I want to live forever. what if i get convicted of a crime and they sentence me to life in prison. I think that a person can live alot in 100 years. 200 might be a bit too long. there i sonly so much you can see or do before you get completely jaded.

That would be your choice. 200 years is too short for me As with Genetic Engineering, regenerative medicine is MUCH closer then everyone thinks.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by sardion2000

I think we will have implants and other cosmetic things. I don't think we'll have genetic engineering except for medical problems for a very long time

Really? www.abc.net.au...

Genetic Doping is the next big thing in genetics and it's MUCH closer then you think.

Well, that's not exactly cosmetic -- but it IS something I hadn't heard about! Learn something new every day around these parts.

Although I'm in favor of gene therapy, I feel somewhat negatively about that kind of genetic manipulation. But apparently the sports industry has money to throw into this research and scientists are only human....

Originally posted by scienceguy94
I am not sure I want to live forever. what if i get convicted of a crime and they sentence me to life in prison. I think that a person can live alot in 100 years. 200 might be a bit too long. there i sonly so much you can see or do before you get completely jaded.

Speak for yourself i intend to personly see the entire universe a billion years wont even be enough.

C'mon science give me that sweet sweet immortality!

Sry braincramp

[edit on 19-10-2005 by sardion2000]