Genetic Engineering - Designer Babies, Aging & Our Future | Part- 2

In the previous part of Genetic Engineering (Read Part- 1 First To Continue), we saw what exactly is genetic engineering and saw its revolutionary technology. What follows next is a tale of the theorized future of the growing technology of Genetic Engineering. What will our future look like? Will humans be accepted on Planet Earth any longer then? What is the future and what will happen if we make ourselves immortal? Who will win the WAR? Humans Or The Nature?

Genetic Engineering - Designer Babies, Aging And Our Future | PART 2

Designer Babies: The means to edit genome of a human embryo already exists, though the technology is still in its early stages. Modified humans could alter the genome of our entire species, because their engineered traits will be passed on to their children and could really spread over generations. Now, see carefully, the use of genetic modifications might not totally boom all over the world. It will take time and slowly progress all throughout the world. The first designer babies would not be designed to make them extra ordinary, instead they'd be designed to cure genetic diseases. More and more genetic modifications would popularize genetic engineering and thus in the future, as the technology progresses and gets more refined, more and more people may start arguing that not using genetic modification makes No Sense! Why? Because it will make them believe that CRISPR and genetic engineering would actually help their children to be immune, to get cured from years of hereditary genetic diseases and that, they'd actually be able to see their children happy and disease free.

Genetic Modification - The Future

When the first engineered baby is born by the means of genetic engineering, the revolution had been begun because this will truly change the world. As you start seeing genetic modification getting more and more accepted, you will start observing a change. The change in the world. People will start making lines to get shots (injections) for CRISPRs and genetic modifications. Weird but true. People on one side will be happy to completely eradicate a genetic disease that had been running for decades in a family. On the other hand, some might get sad due to side effects of the injections. Let's dive deeper.

People would really enjoy Metabolism, perfect eyesight, full height, muscular structure, full and desired hair, or extra ordinary intelligence with the advantages of genetic modifications.

Cure Aging By Genetic Engineering

Around 70% of people who die everyday is because of aging. It is the biggest risk factor of humanity: Aging. As our knowledge improves in genetic engineering and technology becomes a bit less complex, we might be able to eradicate this problem as well! Does that mean, genetic modifications can stop aging? Can humans become immortal, will they never die? Will humans cross the limits of nature's boundaries? It's so interesting to explore deeper, isn't it?

To understand how genetic engineering can cure aging, we need to understand how aging happens itself. Now, you know what, no one actually knows how aging happens and why people change as they get older. Clearly, there is no certain evidence. But some theories claim that aging is caused by injuries from ultraviolet light over time, wear and tear on the body, or byproducts of metabolism. Currently, we think aging is caused by the accumulation of damage to our cells like DNA damages (mutation) or damage in the function systems of DNA. But, there is also a factor that contributes aging which will be very useful if we apply genetic engineering. The Genes of course. There are genes that directly affect aging. So, a combination of genetic engineering and other therapies could either slow down or even STOP aging itself (or may be even reverse itself!).

In biology, you must've heard a fact about certain marine organisms which have the ability to live for thousands of years, and some even never die! That's practically against the nature, you might say. But what if we humans did it! Yes, may be, if we could ever be able to borrow some genes from those immortal organism for ourselves, who knows, we can even become IMMORTAL. Humans will never die then! Now of course, humanity has its own limits. It is forsaken that humans have to die some day, but instead of dying in less than 100 years, with the help of genetic engineering, you might be able to live comfortably for some thousands of years happily.

But the sad truth is, it is not that easy as it seems. Challenges are humongous and maybe its unachievable. Genetic engineering can cure aging but the money, equipment, time, mindset and a lot of other factors are really giving a tough time for scientists to actually cure aging. Think about it. This is not that easy. We need to have perfect things to get the perfect results. Currently, scientists are able to do what they can do at their maximum to cure aging. Humans are really keen to go against nature always. And this curiosity always ends up in a revolution, in a new invention. Genetically modified humans along can solve half the problems in the world. Risk factors like malnourishment and obesity will then be able to get eradicated and you could enjoy eating that burger down the street without any tension for your dietary schedules. If you think more open mindedly, who knows, scientists might be able to create engineered humans that could travel in space without any special equipment. They might be able to live on other planets comfortably. Maybe, one day humans could swim to the deepest points in the oceans without having any oxygen facilities. You see, there are a lot of good things we can improve that will really help humanity live a better life with the Godly gift of genetic engineering. No wonder Biology is life. These things would be extremely helpful to us to survive in our hostile surroundings.

But, think about it more deeply. Let's say it did happened someday. The genetic revolution started. Then, what would just happen? If we create more and more "superpowered" or "perfect" humans, then will you start seeing a world where people would kinda REJECT non perfect or non super powered humans? What will our future look like? If we defeat nature, then will we defeat ourselves next?

Our Future: Humans VS Humans

Now, many of you reading this post, might get frightened that we we humans are going to create a world where non perfect humans will be rejected. But think about now, though CRISPR is a powerful gene editing tool, it is not always perfect. It may make some mistakes. Of course, gene editing is a very difficult and careful process, even the faintest mistake or edit can lead to unknown errors that can occur anywhere in the DNA and might go unnoticed. These problems can be serious and scientists wouldn't be able to cure those quickly as they may be novel. Genetic engineering is not always good, though. Anything may happen, and then, it could be irreversible. The gene edit might achieve the desired result let's say disabling a disease, but it may also trigger or cause other side effects or unwanted changes that can be hazardous. The thing is we still don't know how these problems can happen and how to avoid or prevent them. As I said, it's a progressing technology and is not completely reliable. But don't worry, there have been a lot of progressions in gene editing from the past 2 years since the outset of COVID-19. Just the fact that, it's still improving (as we have a lot of other problems such as COVID-19 to deal with).

Since, we have discovered positive future with the advent of Genetic engineering, there are many negative or darker predictions as well.

Now think about it closely, what if the power of genetic engineering went into wrong hands? What if a human used gene editing tool and fooled people, therefore making such a gene edit, that will force humans to follow his rules and accept him as the ultimate King? What if he used gene editing for much worse things? Clearly, there are a lot such serious issues that we will have to deal with in our future. That's why understanding this topic is so so important and crucial for Human survival. But don't worry, these negative theories are far far away in the future and you have to do a lot of things till then, you have to change the world!

Genetic engineering can defeat deadly genetic diseases, can give life to children who suffer from age old hierarchal or hereditary genetic illness, can create super humans, can create super soldiers, can give new wings and open a new door of revolution to our human biology, can increase human life expectancy, can cure aging etc. etc. The list is endless. Humans should understand its importance. Banning gene editing because of its inconsequence or disadvantages might be a good point, but that would again be a mistake.

Banning genetic engineering would simply show that science can never be greater than politics. The play of powerful people will take place then. Scientists who ever would've thought about the revolution, would just change their minds and science could never grow again. If there are new things, we should explore even deeper instead of avoiding and fearing of its consequences. This is what humans have to change. Their mind, their perspective for science. Science needs support. Its not a subject to just read and write theories in exam. It's a real thing that we do. Yes, we DO science, in one sense. Government should think of ways to avoid gene editing going into the wrong hands instead of blindly banning them, thus closing the door that was about to open.

So what can WE do? Only by participating in these new scientific researches and spreading this knowledge, can we make sure that further research is guided by caution, reason, logic, and perfection.

Genetic Engineering: It's Not The End, But The Beginning

Would we ever be allowed to exist in our future? At first, you'd say, "Of course, are you mad? Why not?" But just rethink and then your words might change. The technology is probably a bit scary and no one knows for damn accuracy of what will happen in our future, but we still have a lot to do, a lot to gain. And genetic engineering might just be a step in the natural evolution of intelligent species in the universe. If genetic engineering might go in wrong hands, we can just win the bar and edit the genes of the wrong hand holder itself. We may end badness in this world itself. We can do trillions of stuff with genetic engineering that you never thought would happen. Think open mindedly and just look at the possibilities you'll get with the help of genetic engineering. There's no need to think small when it comes to this beautiful topic. Whatever your opinion on genetic engineering is, the future is approaching no matter what. What has been science fiction for years in our minds, is now about to come to reality in front of your eyes. Our new reality. A reality full of challenges, hopes, innovation and opportunities.

We all have been enjoying living this world. Nothing seems complicated as we humans are so identical to each other in terms of godly gifts we have. Yeah, some people will say that all this stuff makes no sense and they are happy with what they have. But why should humanity have limits. Can't the limits be broken for good use? What if someday aliens attacked us? Wouldn't then people think of genetic engineering? All this trauma brings down in a nutshell where our future is going to change. Humans will look different. Maybe. But the thing is, whether or not you are in favor of this amazing idea, humans should always support science. Because science can bring fiction to reality. And genetic engineering is such a thing. You can think of trillions of examples that only a single gene edit can give you. 

You are the human and you are the inspiration. If you want, you can change the world. You can bring science fiction to reality.

 

Never scratch the surface, dig the whole thing and break itself.

 

Created with lots of inspiration. Thank you for reading.