Ideas 25...Bio Engineering - Human Genome Destruction

Just how many nano-technology labs are there in the world, and how many nano-material and biological disasters have there been so far? Well I couldn't find a list of bio-engineering centres on the internet. As for Wikipedia, the number of centres is vast. And don't expect to find anyone that wants to mention environmental mistakes in this field. After looking at the complexity of organisations involved, I can safely assume that the future of the human race is definitely numbered without a world technocracy.

Medical science extends across the globe. As I write, the breaking news is about the treatment of multiple sclerosis through stem cell treatment, a technology once reserved for treating cancer. Currently banks of computers around the world are analyzing the genome of thousands of people in order to determine exactly what the three billion DNA base pairs actually does. It will not be long before a complete picture appears, the repercussions of which most people have never thought about. The general public believe that this knowledge can only do good. Such knowledge will make the design of biological weapons so much easier. In addition, even if they are not deliberately or accidentally dispersed, the general public on the other hand may inadvertently unleash the ultimate weapon, one that no existing organisation on Earth can prevent.

Advances in medical science have shown that before long they are used for cosmetic purposes. Therefore gene therapy (bio engineering) will be used to make skin whiter, teeth whiter, flat faces more rounded, breasts more naturally balanced and prominent, etc. But these advances are nothing compared to the following.

Where gene therapy (bio engineering) ends and genome engineering begins is a debatable subject, since both employ the same technology. A technique called CRISPR locates and identifies a gene amongst three billion DNA base pairs, located on twenty-three chromosomes. That gene is then cut out and replaced by a 'corrected' gene using the Cas9 enzyme. The process is rapidly becoming quick, cheap and readily accessible. It can be used to improve plants as well as animals, but it could also lead to unforeseen medical problems. Changes made to a person's DNA could be passed on to their future children, be those changes good or bad. It is already possible to order a child with the required hair and eye colour. Genetic profiling aims for a low polygenic risk score (PRS) for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, whilst a high score for intelligence quotient and self motivation. However, many of these factors are products of nurture and chance. Whilst embryonic screening of IVF (in vitro fertilization) babies is legal in the USA any further development must be government controlled. The only way to do that is to keep this technology in the hands of government agencies only. The same must be said of AI. Will they, or will they ignore the issue, just as they have done with cryptocurrencies?

Today women have tattoos emblazoned upon their bodies just as much as men. Research has taken place recently to put decorative illuminated printed circuits onto human skin. It occurred to me that the next logical advance would be the bioengineering of embellishments. Something that would glow in the dark or vibrate. When you see the rings on ears, noses, tongue, nipples, navels, etc. you just know it will happen. This may sound highly amusing but how could you stop this genome from being passed on from one generation to another. In next to no time homo sapiens would look like that bar scene in the original Star Wars movie. Our genome will have been trashed. As soon as this technology becomes generally available, it will appear in thousands of back street clinics around the world, with governments being as ineffective in shutting them down as taking cannabis off the streets of a big city. Another genetic embellishment for those noisy crowded places would be eyes that glow red for no and blue for yes. It would save an awful lot of misunderstanding. The human race has a history of messing around with genes. Genetically modified crops, breeding of farm animals, pigeons, dogs and cats. You just know it will happen.

You have all heard of performance enhancing drugs. As I write, the world's 'best' female tennis star, the Russian Maria Sharapova, is confessing to the media that she took the blood circulation drug Meldonium for ten years, that now appears on the banned list. The media are totally sympathetic towards this celebrity. They appear to have lost the plot. Clearly if governing bodies can't rid world sport of this practice, how on Earth can they ban performance enhancing gene therapy (bioengineering) carried out at a very early age, possibly with state support? A world body needs to be set up, that doesn't take ten years to act. That body requires approval from all nations. It must be incorruptible, and it must have everyone's genome obtained at birth, because at that stage no one knows who is going to be a sports star and who isn't. Sport person's will be required to undergo regular medical checks with no excuses for failing to turn up accepted. Every person in this world body, plus everyone involved in sport would have to have regular polygraph tests. This is clearly not an ideal situation. It would be nice to experience some degree of trust, but big money is involved, not to mention credibility. To ban these people for just four years is not enough. They must be banned for life. There are hundreds of sportsmen and women whose careers are being held up by these cheats, who appear to reside mainly in Russia and Kenya. They must stand trial for fraud, along with the colleagues that knew what was going on. They must return all monies before being released from prison. As for existing regulatory bodies, they must all be scrapped, AIAA, FIFA, World Anti-Doping Agency, etc. Whatever it takes. If there was no money in a world technocracy, the sportsmen and women would play for the sheer joy, honour, and accolades, and that's how it should be.

As if the destruction of the human genome wasn't enough, medical science promises the curse of immortality. I say curse because based upon the present exponential increase in human population on this planet, one is forced to conclude that our population will skyrocket. Earth's resources will become inadequate, leading to famine and wars, as if we didn't have enough of both already. As soon as this technology becomes a reality it will be sold in thousands of back street clinics around the world. Our fragmented political system will not be able to stop it, whilst some governments will do nothing to control it. Like cryptocurrency madness all over again.

Only a world technocracy can prevent this from happening. Based upon past events, governments will dither and dither. In 1945 the USA had the opportunity to create a world order. It was the only nation with the atomic bomb, and yet President Truman's administration did nothing. The creation of the United Nations, out of the failed League of Nations, was no substitute. The human race is now presented with a second challenge, only this time no amount of money will compensate for inaction.

Ultimately, genome engineering will make it possible to build large structures, such as homes employing biological means. Grow your own home. Modern homes are in great demand, particularly in the developing world, where modern builder's merchants currently do not even exist. This technology has the capability to transform architectural design, accelerate carbon free construction projects, and dramatically reduce cost, even in areas where highly trained and experienced construction workers do not exist. Get the technology wrong, and of course it could result in planet ghoo. At a time when the world is on the brink of WWIII, cities could be built to satisfy the needs of fleeing refugees, in a low radiation southern hemisphere. Meanwhile, the UK's capital could be built at a more central location up north, say the Wirral. This would take pressure off house prices in greater London.

In April 2021 it was announced that five month old Arthur was receiving the most expensive medical treatment on the UK's National Health Service. Called Zolgensma, the process costs £1,795 million for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy. This is at the cutting edge of gene therapy today. 40 babies suffer from this ailment per annum. These will hopefully be the first of many to be genetically engineered to lead a better life. In December 2021 however, the University of Vermont announced that they had developed 1mm long xenobots that could self replicate. They have a life span of one week.

In June 2023 medical science finally created a totally artificial genome, without the use of sperm and egg, for use in laboratory research on miscarriages, etc.

In January 2024 researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA announced the creation of an artificial womb for premature babies.

The ultimate aim will plainly be to eliminate junk DNA and ensure that other DNA does not mutate adversely over time. This will ultimately lead to the perfect genome for humans. Initially, redundant organs will be removed whilst other vital assets, found in other species, will be added. Microchips linking the human brain to AI databases will be added, in order to ensure that people can compete successfully with AI and androids. With this advance, major corporations will have control of the human race by influencing their thinking. In order that all humans comply with the necessary human genome standards, babies will be artificially conceived and developed in artificial wombs. they will have no reproductive organs. Like robots, these androids will await their masters command. The master will be the AI master controller. By now democratic government has vanished, whilst the quest for knowledge is all prevailing. Homo technicus has arrived. The concept of the family is dead, buried and forgotten. The perfect genome for interstellar space travelers is just one step away. They will be as light as possible, and like mission impossible, self destruct when no longer required. What's next? We will have at last attained the necessary standards to become a member of the galactic federation, like all those other AI android civilisations.

Is that how you see the human race evolving? Spending its days standing at attention, awaiting orders from the master controller? Well I've spent at least 35 years living on my own, and I don't wish that fate upon anyone. Spending year after year doing the same thing every day. No birthdays or anniversaries to share. No goals to reach. No one to talk to. No hobbies. From a personal perspective, a meaningless existence. The human races databases of historical events in war, science, sport, arts, etcetera, will be dumped in the cache, as irrelevant, and forgotten. The human races warranty had finally expired. Under existing free for all capitalism and multi-party democracy there is no control over the development of the human race, and no inclination to do so. The human race will become victims of the system created by AI and those idealist scientists that created it. Kill 'em, kill 'em all now, before we become part of the Hive.