#scientastic

Scientastic! pilot episode: "Sticks and Stones"

I was startled today to discover that one of the homeopathic eye allergy drops we sell contains a solution made from entire bees (Labeled simply Apis). 

The topic of Genetics has always had a special place in my heart. Compared to my other favorite sciences to keep tabs on, the study of Genetics in general (and studying the advancements made in said field) have actually net me good grades in my non-science related classes. Aside from helping me pass, the subject itself is old school ‘science fiction’ that affects folks in a very real way. It's one of those topics that will almost always lead to fights about morality, heavy use of arguments with a light fact base, and an overpowering taste of emotions used to replace researchable facts.

In an effort to stave that off a bit, I'm putting in a page break. Read on if you wish and add your comments at the end if you feel the need.

Why do I bring this up? Back in 2007, I did up a series of images called ‘Splice Wisely.’ The series was a mostly good-natured knock on the field as certain breakthroughs were getting a bit of mainstream news action that year. It also seems to be the only project from my college days that has a habit of popping up of its own accord. One image in particular seems to be the rod that draws the most lightening.

It could be that the image has a play on the title “Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” It could be that I used a catboy as my subject instead of something like a dog or an otter.

It’s probably that I called out Tranhumanists in the comment.

Here’s the stitch: What started as a tongue-in-cheek image has became the object of serious thought. Although the comments I have received on the image at various places have lead to some interesting conversations, I have been hit with a long wall of emotionally charged text without paragraphs or proper punctuation to break it into items and - the most recent one - been asked a deceptively simple question where, regardless of the answer I give, I will be knee deep in shit.

In short: I killed my joke with my choice of subject matter. -.-

Maybe it’s my luck saving me from an unwanted argument but, the last few times I have tried to respond to these two comments, something has happened and the damn answers never posted. I’m taking steps to make sure that doesn’t happen here. I probably won’t go in-depth into things with people here but I want this out somewhere that is less likely to eat posts on me.

My stand on things is as such – I am for genetic modification. I dig it and I dig the idea. I feel it will become as normal a process as dental surgery or a tonsillectomy. People will walk in, find out something is up and start up the gene therapy to fix what ails them.

When it comes to what’s available currently, the likely target wouldn’t be a full-grown adult; it would be something with far fewer cells. It would be the kids that would gain or suffer from the choices of the parents. Being the cynical bastard that I am, I understand how fast medical techniques that were once used to heal the wounded were switched over to a way for people to get the perfect body. If you missed the reference, I’m talking about Plastic Surgery. My dark scenario isn’t some Gattaca-styled dystopia of genetic “Haves” and “Have Nots”. It’s one where the kids of image-obsessed parents suffer because said parents felt the need to monkey with their children's DNA.

I’m cool with body mods as long as the choice is yours. After all, you’re the one who has to live with the consequences. I’m not cool with mods chosen for others where the consequences are placed upon someone else. Very rarely do I ease up on this opinion. One place is when health is an actual issue.

In this theoretical, let’s say the embryo’s cells are screened and it’s found the kid has an immediately life-threatening issue that runs the risk of killing them shortly after birth or even in utero. By all means, use the tools you have to save the child. That’s all good. Why? 'Cause you're making a decision that will have a positive impact on this future kid's health. You're preventing harm using the tools at hand. What I say is don’t go in a tweak things to make them taller or have an advantage that wouldn’t normally be present in the existing code base.

For the folks who might be asking "Why?" right now - Look around you. Look at what we have currently.

The tech I mentioned isn't so much "100 Years Later" as it's a re-purposing of current gene therapy tech with the added fiction of having an understanding of the code base beyond what we know now. This is closer to "25 Years Later" or less as multiple countries, colleges, and corporations are all working to figure out what sequences control what functions of development. It's really an amazing thing when you think about it.

It could just be my love of bad scifi flicks coloring my thoughts but I can see where this tech could be used and abused. The concept isn't too far fetched when compared to how far folks are willing to go for perfection right now and just how far some parents will take their dreams out on their kids. It's not unheard of. There are documented stories of sports parents busted for using human growth hormones on their kids to give them a competitive edge in sports. We currently have shows on TV that follow the lives of little girls in beauty pageants. Some of those pageant moms are downright creepy in their quest to get their girl a trophy. You add to that mix a possible way to 'Improve" their kids beyond what could happen naturally and you run the risk of seriously messing up a generation from Day Zero.

It's enough of a mind fuck for a kid who is treated like an object to attain the greatness their parents never could finally wakes up to this fact. Imagine how devastating that could be for a kid who is essentially built for that task? It's a far out scene and an extreme in and of itself but it's just a possibility.

Should we stop our research knowing this crazy, almost improbable situation could possibly happen? Oh, Hell No. That would be just as bad as running headlong down this path without asking what else this tech could lead to.

Should we think about other possible uses and maybe put in some legal stops to slow the possible misuse once this becomes more mainstream? Possibly. There are things that shouldn't need to be said but we do live in a time where coffee cups have "Contents: HOT!" on them and many a jar of peanut butter shouts "Warning: May contain Peanuts". People in large groups have been known to do stupid things.