ADSactly Tech News: Fringe Science Replacements for Procreation and Death
Adsactly Tech: Fringe Science Replacements for Procreation and Death.
Greetings to all my tech-savvy friends! I've finally found another worthy topic to write about.
Have you ever wondered what would happen to society if two people of the same gender were able to make a baby together?
Or what would happen if we could repair our cells and organs when we get older in the pursuit of living forever?
I know what you are thinking... Ok, he's lost it, I think we're just about finished here!
Wait just a second! I'm not asking this question as if it was impossible but rather, just the opposite. In the 21st century, researchers have been making massive progress in the understanding of cell biology and other disciplines including biorobotics, synthetic biology, and a relatively new field called bionanotechnology.
Throughout history, intercourse was an essential part of bringing new human life into the world. In order to make a baby it takes a sperm and an embryo. I think most of us are old enough to know that they don't just randomly meet by chance.
Due to this fact when the leaders of nations wanted to increase the speed of growth in their populations, they needed to find a better way to encourage gender relations between the opposite sexes.
Things have changed now, technology has proven it can replace older natural ways of conception with newer more artifical ways. Basically, the point I'm trying to make here is that intercourse is no longer necessary in order to conceive a child.
There have been many advances in science that have made things that used to be considered impossible now possible. Humanity can thank the Nobel prize winning work of researchers like embryologist John Gurdon and stem cell researcher Shinya Yamanaka.
These two award winning researchers found ways to create both sperm cells and eggs in the laboratory from skin cells.This has effectively eliminated the need for a human mother or father to kick off the reproductive process.
Now comes the hard question... Is that good or bad?
The fact of the matter is that the answer isn't up to debate. People need to simply accept the fact that it is now possible to create both sperm cells and eggs in the laboratory from skin cells.
At the end of April 2016, Stanford University and the Valencia Infertility Institute announced the result of a collaboration project in which human sperm, with tails, were created from skin cells.
Just five months later, testifying to the speed with which stem cell research is progressing, researchers at the University of Bath reported that they had discovered a method of creating offspring without the need for a female egg.
This was heralded as a major breakthrough which rewrites 200 years of biology teaching, and could pave the way, for example, for a baby to be born from the DNA of two men.
Ok, so lets just review some of these new developments briefly. Scientists now have the ability to create embryos and sperm from skin cells. Beyond that they also have the ability to make a human being without the need for an embryo. Is this starting to look like fringe science here or what?
Does anyone else find it fascinating and possibly a bit scary that it is now possible to create a baby from the DNA of two men?
Ok, so I've been discussing new technologies that are involved with procreation of human beings thus far. But what about people who just want to live forever, isn't this type of application still in the same ballpark?
The answer to the question is, yes, its a close cousin. To prove my point, in August 2017, Ohio State College of Engineering made an exciting announcement about progress they had made in “Tissue nanotransfection” (TNT for short) which allows injured or aging tissue to be repaired or restored, including blood vessels, nerve cells and entire organs.
If you've ever watched Star Trek you may have been amazed like I was at watching the doctors in the medbay magically heal cells and fix wounds with some sort of laser based medical device. This news is comparable to that with a few more steps that need to be taken from here to there.
According to my source, TNT technology is made of two components. The components include a nanotechnology-based chip designed to deliver cargo to adult cells in a live body and specific biological cargo for cell conversion.
They make it sound so easy! It is also worth mentioning that TNT doesn't need laboratory-based procedures in addition to being non-invasive (this means they don't have to cut you open, something a lot of people are usually quite afraid of).
“By using our novel nanochip technology, injured or compromised organs can be replaced. We have shown that skin is a fertile land where we can grow the elements of any organ that is declining,” writes the study’s co-lead, Dr. Chandan Sen, director of Ohio State’s Center for Regenerative Medicine & Cell Based Therapies.
We aren't too far away from these new Star-Trek like procedures becoming available it seems. Ohio researchers will be conducting clinical trials next year to test this technology in humans.
I'm hoping I've got your attention now and that you'd like to know more about how TNT works. Well I'm going to explain it to you either way...
In far less than a second TNT injects genetic code into the skin. This code changes a certain type of cells into different types of cells required for treating diseased conditions.
Think of this process as a sort of shapeshifting device for your cells. It simply makes one type of cell into another.
So lets review what we have learned here. Scientists are now able to create babies from the DNA of two men or two women. Scientists are closing in on the ability to repair damaged cells, organs or cure diseases simply by injecting genetic material into the patient. If this doesn't sound like fringe science, I don't know what would.
Given the phenomenal rate of discovery and progress that is taking place in the fields of cell biology and nanotechnology, it appears very likely we will see these technologies available and offered to consumers before the end of this century.
But this topic shouldn't be taken lightly. Of course, like most of the topics I decide to explore, there are many important ethical questions that relate to the use of genetic engineering as part of the process of creating babies.
Fortunately the scientific community has done good work posing many of these questions and attempting to find answers to them.
For example, Renuka Sivapatham, a graduate student at the University of Southern Denmark recently published an article about human genetic engineering.
In the article, she said that although DNA editing techniques have been available for decades and are crucial tools for understanding gene functions and molecular pathways, this subject is increasingly littered with controversy due to newer technologies that can quickly and efficiently modify genomes through introduction or genetically correcting mutations in human cells and animal models.
She went on to explain that genome editing technologies have come a long way and are now advancing towards mammalian models and clinical trials in humans.
Due to recent strides in the advancement of genetic editing technologies, she claims that these results force scientists to question the future and the implications of such powerful technology.
She left the following questions to be considered:
Should we accept the genetic engineering of human embryos? If yes, when and in what capacity should we accept it?
Working with the @adsactly community as a writer focused on technological issues has been very rewarding. I've found the community to be very strong in both critical thinking and communication skills and your feedback is vitally important to the society's expansion. So, with that in mind I'll leave you with this final question.
We are approaching an age where genetically modified clones and life extending gene therapies are increasingly possible. What do you think about all of this?
Please leave your thoughts and feedback below!
Thanks for reading.
Authored by: @techblogger
In-text citations source: An AI expert explains how robot-human offspring would work - Quartz
Image Sources: Pexels.com
Like most things, I think there are pros and cons. The pros are that we can help live humans regain health (albeit rich humans) and it can certainly help health companies create a better way of life for people. The cons are that the power lies in the wrong hands. It will only help the rich and rich elites, and that’s who it’s for because it’s the elites who are trying to cull the world population, while trying to elongate their own lives. In doing so they are creating a Frankenstein by ostracising factions of societies. Just like they’re trying to do with this TNT method.
Agreed. Unless we can bring about a revolution of thinking, greed and selfishness will continue to dominate over kindness and love for fellow human beings. There is a lot of work to be done on this planet and discussions about the type of world we would like to live in and how to bring it about should be held regularly. Beyond that based on a roadmap for a better future we must act upon it! Thanks for your thoughts @mojorisin!
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stop it
Genetics are being used more and more now in combination with technology and we will be seeing more ease in life. I hope we get the positive of technologies more than the negatives
Well I'm not sure I agree with your prediction of easier lives but certainly we will see an enormous amount of change in our lifetimes. I also hope that human beings will use and develop new technologies that help us as a species rather than as a means to our eventual destruction. Lets be positive!
Yeah that is what I am saying. To be positive. We already have genetic engineering for human benefits. The crop productions have increased exponentially and the circle of life can never be started without food. Genetic Engineering is being used and will be used to eliminate certain genes that will eliminate heredity diseases.
Yes. I understand your point. There is a lot to be thankful for when it comes to technology as well. It has saved lives, increased lifespans and many would argue that it has also increased quality of life. I personally detest large agrobusiness, companies like Monsanto who want to own and control humanity's food production through the use of proprietary seeds that must be purchased each and every crop cycle. There will be companies that try to enslave us with technology but that simply requires us to be more clever than they are in recognizing which technologies provide a true benefit to us and which may cause harm. I appreciate your contribution and comments here. Thanks @cryptokraze
Nice,i'm disagreeing wirh the suggestion of good lives but obviously we will see some amount of changes in our life time.i'm also willing that human will develop new ages of technologies that will help us to our final stages ,we have to be positive with this,and will be use as elimination of genetic heredity virus.you caN also upvotes and comment in my posts @horlly..
I agree your with
THIS IS AN AMAZING ARTICLE
saya takut tikus
Nice @cryptokraze
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I hope so too. There is so much that can be done with this
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This was really informative. Crazy to think where science has come and how far it has to go. Thanks for your post
@adsactly
Interesting, we are already on a path to longer lives, it is evident in the life expectancy which has now increased on average from 40 to 80. I think in the next 20 years or so we would probably be looking at life expectancy to be 120, due to advances in technology etc.
Then the concept of a lot of things the human species held sacred and even belief would be challenged, such as marriage as an example. The scientific modification of manufacturing as such of an actual human being I think steps outside of what I deem to be a safe place, and I would caution to say that we are not "Person Nature" and should be careful when treading on such matters of utmost and delicate importance to our entire existence.
Everywhere that we as humans have encroached on what is natural, we have managed to mess up in royal proportion.
So all I can say, personally, is be very careful where we tread. we may end up doing something so irreversible that would ultimately lead to our total destruction.
Just my 2 cents.
stay blessed.
"Everywhere that we as humans have encroached on what is natural, we have manged to mess up in royal proportion."
I like the way you put it there.
@nanohousehold
Thank you, could go on forever on topics such as these, had to reign it in a tad.
It is now possible to store source code in DNA.
There are roses that can be used as a batteries or Capacitors.
Artificial leaf have been around for quite a while now.
So forget about BioMetrics,
The next Steemit hard wallet will be stored into one's DNA.
Singularity (technical advancement) and rising crypto coin prices come to mind.
So next year for X-mas, I'd like to get;
-A few wings
-Lungs that allow me to breath underwater
-Some extra arms
-Some extra brainpower
-Sonar, as bats have.
-A spare heart, (backup, as in a fail-over cluster)
Any other suggestions please let me know...
can make sperm or egg cells just from skin cells? WOW!
This is funny! Definitely worth a vote for the laugh!
funny photo
The only thing that is guaranteed is that the future is going to be a weird place.
I am not ready to give up on sex thats for sure!
I am hoping genetic medicines come fast, I have a Kidney issue that sure would be awesome to fix (and fix my kids before they are born).
Thanks for the article
I am sorry to hear that. I have faith that this new emerging field will find a cure within a few more years at most. You are living proof that there are good and worthy applications for this new technology. Take care.
Thanks. I am not sick yet so its all about nutrition and staying fit from here on out.
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Nice interesting post there buddy. I'm pretty sure the church will argue about it again if that happens :)
I'm pretty sure you are right!
You mean they will see it as altering the natural process? We'll thy shouldn't have a problem with that as long as it's for a greater good. A lot of problems are not to be left to time and chance especially when it has to do with life
Technology has really helped human race and the more we explore the world of technology the more it becomes better.
My fear is the fact that some people keep taking this advantage to use this against human race. I am sure with genetic engineering there should be cure to so many terminal diseases yet I want to believe the people working tiredness to make this a reality are being frustrated by those who rule the technology world. Let us all imagine if science and technology can evict death from our world, the oppression alone will be worse in this world.
All the same science and technology has really been a blessing to our world
Nice article. But science still has to depend on sperm and egg to bring about conception, it will never be able to create these reactants. I beg to disagree that artificial means can be said to be a better way of conception.
Both can be made from a skin cell. Scientists have already accomplished what you speak of. In regard to your opinion on artificial vs natural conception I tend to agree with you that I think it should be done the way nature intended unless for some reason its not possible.
Yea if there are constraints in the natural way, the artificial process should be a remedy, to some it might be seen as a matter of choice
Not sure if this is what you meant about it not being possible, but what about for 2 men or 2 women who want to start a family that represents them? Yes they can use a donor but wouldn't this new technology provide a better way for them to have a representative child?
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follow back!okay...