http://theweek.com/articles/599237/genetic-breakthrough-that-could-change-humanity-explained The genetic breakthrough that could change humanity, explained The Week Staff Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! A new genetic technology called CRISPR may enable scientists to make permanent changes in a person's DNA. Here's everything you need to know: What is CRISPR? It's a revolutionary gene-editing technique that enables scientists to snip out a piece of any organism's DNA cheaply, quickly, and precisely — cutting and editing the code of life the way a film editor would splice an old film reel. Developed at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2012, CRISPR offers great promise, because it could provide a true cure for debilitating hereditary diseases such as Huntington's, muscular dystrophy, and sickle-cell anemia. But it is different from traditional forms of gene therapy in one key sense: CRISPR can be used to edit genes on the human germ line, so that those changes are passed down through generations — permanently altering the human gene pool. That capability has given new urgency to theoretical discussions about designer babies, mutants, and scientists "playing God." In December, an international group of scientists called for an immediate moratorium on inheritable human genome editing until CRISPR's risks have been assessed. "Everything I've learned here says we're not ready to be doing this yet," said Nobel Prize–winning biologist David Baltimore. more......................
So... do you see millions of Afghans, Albanians, Algerians, Andorrans and Angolans lining up for their free hereditary predisposition edit? How long before they repair all the Zimbabweans? More likely than the human race, it will affect 0.01 % of the world's population - the least reproductive 0.01%. Of course, that doesn't make the accomplishment less impressive.
Thanks for the article paddoboy. I also posted about CRISPR few days ago: http://www.sciforums.com/threads/is-crispr-cas9-a-dangerous-tool-in-our-hands.154624/ Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Currently the aim seems to be to heal some chronic diseases, or diseases caused by damaged genes. But I'm quite sure some day, this will be used to improve humans as well - first we must learn more about the genes and their interactions, since in the past, there were some quite bad results in "enhancing" animals through genetic modifications. E.g. an attempt to make pigs more musculous (more and better meat), made them strong but a total failure - bones and tendons could not support the muscles, and the pigs could barely move when grown up, actually they broke their own bones due to the mismatch of muscles and supporting strtuctures. Even if we have the tool now to edit genes, we still don't know how to do it right. If you give a person pen and paper, they are unlikely to start right with a world class novel, rather some doodles and other rubbish on paper. It requires a lot of knowledge and also training.
Yes. One of my favorite books. Her other works are also dystopian. Which I really like about her work.
