A new age of humankind/Technical Issues.

First things first, this thread will be running in tandem with another in the Philosophy Forum. I would very much like to keep the two separate, so if there's any comment on the moral/ethical or philophical merit of this please comment there.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

This thread is to debate the logistics and possibilities of a new kind of human, that of an "enhanced" life-form in some ways. We are rapidly approaching the point in our existence where we could potentially:

* Create "avatars" of ourself, downloadable or solid via cloning/dna technology.
* Extend our lifespan to far greater potential.
* Enhance our physical and/or mental capabilities beyond what we might "naturally" have.

I'd very much welcome contributions on relevant articles, to get a decent gauge of just how close we are to being able to do this. Personally I'm a lot more interested in the AI aspects than the "physical", but would be keen on hearing all that is to be said.

[edit on 6/1/1010 by jokei]