The Idea Of Designing Our Babies
from the not-so-far-fetched dept
Gary Brown writes "An illustrated article running at HowStuffWorks shows how within a few decades, there's a good chance that biotechnology could give us the ability to pre-choose our children's physical and personality traits like we pick out options on a new car. Companion research has discovered that when the spider gene is inserted into a goat, the goat produces a protein that is identical to that found in spider silk. This protein is extracted from the goat's milk to produce silk fibers, called BioSteel, which is used to make bulletproof vests." Anyone else think the idea of "made-to-order" children is a little bit disturbing? It would also give children more active reasons for hating their parents: "Why'd you give me curly hair? I would kill for straight hair!" at which point the parents will regret not giving the child the "laid-back" gene.
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Things to keep in mind...
This is not to say that we won't be able to do these things. Just that this technology isn't as close as everyone says. This could be the next "flying cars"...
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