Chimeras: Animal-Human Hybrids

Originally posted by Toxic Fox
Despite the "rich people driving new technology" as mentioned earlier, I can't see a biotech industry evolving over someone who wants a tail, etceteras.

By that logic Cosmetic surgury would never have been commercialized and become profitable.



I wonder what mods he would get....best not to think on that

Fascinating subject...even for some-one unfamiliar with the science behind it.

It's like evolution on 'fast forward', using biological and mechanical techniques to transform the human body for multiple environments.

If I was living in a jungle, perhaps a nice long tail could assist me in expanding my environment from two dimensions to three, giving me access to the treetop world only accessable to monkeys and birds. As well, a set of gills and the ability to sustain high pressures might enable humans to call the oceans their home.

And those are the more radical proceedures with a complete range of lesser adaptations we can imagine.

Christopher Dewdney has been on the forefront of the transhuman theories. I'll include a link as soon as I find one.

www.media-studies.ca...

[edit on 23-10-2005 by masqua]

Oh come on man, that's comparing apples to oranges. There's a big difference from removing skin, cutting musles, and changing bone structure and creating all kids of custom biological modifications for a person. Although, if the internet has taught me anything, is that there are some unusual people out there who would be more then willing to pay through the teeth for things like that. The technology and science will also arrive well before it becomes even remotely acceptable socially, though.

Early mainstream adopters: biomedical developments, making drugs, organ growth and replacement, etceteras.
Early underground adopters: rich "furries" along the lines of the cat-guy who was shown on TLC.
Later mainstream adopters: people with purposeful modifications (sensory enhancement, etceteras.) One idea I had was to modify the human skin to be greatly more resistant to heat, cold, and a better electrical insulator even when wet.

Wired's future vision once mentioned people doing unorthodox cosmetic things like that.

Lots of religious people think cosmetic surgery in itself can be an abomination (considering people like MJ I cannot really blame them) but I'm sure a human with a tail (or even fur?) would also fit into that category to a higher order.

[edit on 23-10-2005 by Toxic Fox]

www.wired.com...

www.theaustralian.news.com.au...

Organ Cloning isn't needed methinks Except maybe for food.

[edit on 23-10-2005 by sardion2000]

[edit on 23-10-2005 by sardion2000]

Actually, I really doubt that MJ is still considered to be a Human Being.

So wait, at what point can a Chimera vote or not be allowed to vote?

Originally posted by Atomix
Excellent find Shadow

I hate how they are banning us from cloning and even this. Its blocking our advancement in technology. What if this accidentely creates the cure for bird flu? Or Cancer?

Great great point, I didnt even think about medical benefits for humans many animals dont have the medical problems that humans have. For example Sharks rarely if ever get cancer find that gene and put it into humans no more cancer maybe.

Or what about animals that regenerate loss limbs like some lizards find that gene and maybe allow humans to regrow lost arms and legs. Komodo dargons also resist some of the nastiest bacteria on the planet find that gene and maybe put a end to most bacterial infections.

Man the possiblities are near endless

Originally posted by Toxic Fox So wait, at what point can a Chimera vote or not be allowed to vote?

If an "chimera" is able to express itself to all other intellegent lifeforms, and will be affected by the outcome of a election, then it should be allowed to vote.
I just read a book on this, but i can't remember most of it.

Originally posted by sythlord

Originally posted by Toxic Fox So wait, at what point can a Chimera vote or not be allowed to vote?

If an "chimera" is able to express itself to all other intellegent lifeforms, and will be affected by the outcome of a election, then it should be allowed to vote.
I just read a book on this, but i can't remember most of it.

Dang, it's gonna be another special interest group. But... I'm sure some of them might be republican. Oh, the potential for an irony explosion with the half-donkey-half-human is a conservative...

It's gonna be a strange new world.

Originally posted by Toxic Fox I'm sure some of them might be republican.

I'm sure Republicans and Democrats alike would be interested...

For just one application of transhumanism, think soldiers...with electronic modifications and enhancements built right into their physical bodies... comm systems wired into the brain, see/shoot aiming mechanisms connected to laser weaponry strapped or built into hands, stainless steel motor driven bone joints for greater mobility and speed...the list is only limited by the imagination.

It's gonna be a strange new world.

Yea...now if they could just extend lifetimes to make such mechanical/biological modifications worthwhile. (seems a cinch to me)

when the government starts creating cybernetic soldiers, there will be a whole ne class of citezens. also, many people will be afraid of the supersoldiers because of their looks. this could create a whole new international government to keep the soldiers equal so that one country does'nt take over with superior technology. something like the UN

Originally posted by Atomix
Excellent find Shadow

I hate how they are banning us from cloning and even this. Its blocking our advancement in technology. What if this accidentely creates the cure for bird flu? Or Cancer? Hell, we could make monkeys as intelligent as us who could explore places no human or machine can without harming themself. We could make birds so intelligent that they can do recon against terrorists. Whales that could help us explore the last remaining 'unknown' on the planet: The Oceans...

I understand your point, how forbidding cloning and genetic modification should be "unbanned" But I just recently finished reading a book called germline, which states a very possible and frightening future, where social level is defined by species. You would have the "mistakes" at the bottom, living a horrid, subhuman life, a species built simply for strength, living as brute workers, and the upperclass weaklings meant only for their intelectual. The more we think about this, it will prove enivitalbe unless certain things are banned, or at least moderated.
So basically, as humans we would lose our essence, and lose the mental capability of justifying our destruction of the world, because we have to cope with the fact that the animals have feelings. ( an observation, not my belief)

Originally posted by Atomix
Excellent find Shadow

I hate how they are banning us from cloning and even this. Its blocking our advancement in technology. What if this accidentely creates the cure for bird flu? Or Cancer? Hell, we could make monkeys as intelligent as us who could explore places no human or machine can without harming themself. We could make birds so intelligent that they can do recon against terrorists. Whales that could help us explore the last remaining 'unknown' on the planet: The Oceans...

What happens when the monkey says "f*** you, I want risk pay and medical benefits?" What's to say that any creature like that would really want anything to do with people as we know them?

There was a thing on Quirks and Quarks (CBC Radio) about this, and that was part of the issue - what rights would you give to an advanced Chimera? At a certain level of sentience they would be at the nearly same level as humans and could absolutely not be used as unwilling test subjects to say the least.

The current Chimeras are much more benign. For instance, they can give rats human Leukemia and do experiments with novel treatments. Now that can be very beneficial, or doing things like growing human organis inside another host animal.

HERE'S WHERE IT GETS REALLY FREAKY:
One thing mentioned on Quirks and Quarks was if two Chimeras with partially human DNA mated, the offspring could potentially be human. (This was noted as being particularly far-fetched.)

Bart: How would I go about creating a half-man half-monkey creature?
Mrs. Krabapple: I'm sorry, that would be playing god.
Bart: God-schmod, I want my monkey-man!

The current Chimeras are much more benign. For instance, they can give rats human Leukemia and do experiments with novel treatments. Now that can be very beneficial, or doing things like growing human organis inside another host animal.

I know it's possible but why would we want to do this? We have other technologies available for Organ Regeneration as well as some promising techniques in Vat Grown organs. What would be beneficial of giving an animal human organs?(as we do not need to harvest them)