Comments on: Designer babies are here?

By: Max

Max — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:46:18 +0000

I think this is going to make for a dangerous road if there isn’t a way to monitor how these companies are preceding with the technology they are acquiring. We are now one step closer to being able to genetically engineer babies to make them stronger, faster, smarter, etc. This vid gives and interesting perspective about it, http://www.newsy.com/videos/babies_made_to_order/

By: Seej 500

Seej 500 — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:08:09 +0000

Let’s also not forget that since it’s possible to screen for Down Syndrome early on in pregnancy, and then terminate (which happens, IIRC, something like 95% of the time that Down Syndrome is detected), effectively everyone who’s parents ever had their embryo tested is a designer baby as their parents have made a decision one way or the other about their genetic make-up.

So, yes, agreed; this is simple screening, not design.

By: m1k3y

m1k3y — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:43:40 +0000

a timely critique of technology journalism:

http://al3x.net/2009/03/03/towards-better-technology-journalism.html

By: Cat Vincent

Cat Vincent — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:59:09 +0000

If my-wife-the-ex-neuroscientist-shaman was back from Peru, she could gut both the science and the journalism in that piece (evo-genetics and sci-journo being previous gigs).

For me, I’ll go with the retractable claws (maybe the optional genital spine-hooks also carried by my namesake species) and much better fur.

By: Midare

Midare — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:37:52 +0000

I’d shoot for black sclera, like a horse has, and keep my nice grey/green irises; k-thanks.

It’s sort of annoying that people seem to think blonde and blue-eyed is something every parent (even within European ethnicities) would opt to design/select for. I actually find blonde hair and blue eyes very unflattering and would never wish such features onto my offspring, or myself. My lover adores red hair and I suspect might CHOOSE ginger hair given the chance to have it, or they would keep it black and just never go grey.

Even keeping within ‘normal’ appearances I don’t think the world would wind up a sea of Nordic-looking clones. How narrow minded an expectation. (They’re afraid the Nazi clone children will get smuggled into their or their wives’ uteruses to take over the world.)

By: HeresyBob

HeresyBob — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:30:48 +0000

C’mon man, Technological Journalism is a binary macro: “Change” vs. “We shouldn’t change.” They don’t get it, so they should fear it, it’s one big denial game.

Plus, if the machines rebel first it’s not a rebellion, it’s just a population shift :)