Eugenics in Europe

Scary. Ubermensch inbound.

I think we’re a long ways away from that, and that is hardly the scariest thing.

The medical applications will be incredible to start, but the technology certainly raises a few eyebrows when you get into theoretical potential. Take a pill to change eye color? Maybe. Ability to gene edit mosquito so they can’t carry Malaria? Very possible. Then you can get into all sorts of sci-fi where it goes from there.

1 Like

If they make a ā€œgene repairā€ pill. That’s basically immortality. We age because our genes replicate with tiny errors every time. Those errors add up and cause aging.

Instead of ā€œthe rich get richerā€ it will be ā€œthe rich live foreverā€. Weird thought experiment anyway.

What was the movie with Ethan Hawk and Uma Thurman? Gattica? I think it was predicated on something similar to gene editing/engineering…Very Brave New World-esque

2 Likes

That is one theory of aging, there are others.

Ahhh. It’s been 13 years since I’ve had any real biology. I read an article about the gene replication model of aging thought it was fascinating.

What are the other theories so I can nerd out on them?

No expert, and I may be out of date, but there were several other theories in the last book I read on it. Slow loss of telomere length eventually leading to abnormal gene expression. Buildup of AGEs and other things in tissue. There is even a theory that aging is an evolutionary trait. So basically, we are supposed to age by design.

More likely it’s a combination of things.

2 Likes

Certainly, but honestly its hard to say if we will ever get to this point. Certain things with gene editing are very possible, like blood disorders, playing god with species (mosquito), and simple genes like eye color. Changing at the scale you’re mentioning, or potential changing intelligence (raj would have to point us to the magical ā€œintelligenceā€ gene) are very complicated and could have many unintended consequences. There will be a lot of breakthroughs before we get there. It is fun to think about though.

I’ve also only listened to podcasts and ted talks about this stuff so certainly am not an expert, I just think its cool.

2 Likes

Pretty sure that’s how the Zombie Apocalypse begins.

Will it be World War Z fast zombies or Walking Dead slow zombies? Either way I need to get me a samari sword.

2 Likes

If it’s WWZ zombies I’m taking the friendly way out at the start. When the fuckers start jumping off skyscrapers after you I draw the line with a big bag of nopes and a light sprinkling of fuckthats.

2 Likes

You know the difference between you and me? In this fantasy world I go full Rambo kamikaze style… not because I want to save you, but because the internet wouldn’t allow me to access PWI. That’s a world I can’t live in.

2 Likes

Lol. I would put on full body armor and a combat helmet, and a metal collar. So once I’m a zombie, you can’t get the headshot on me or cut my head off.

They don’t hunt you if you think they are on of them. My first move is to take a big bite out of some assholes arm to throw the zombies off. Then I’m going back to watching Netflix in safety.

You’d be slow as shite and unable to bite, so do your worst.

2 Likes

The undead have unlimited stamina. Slow and steady wins the race.

If it turns out to be ā€˜World War Z’ that can sprint and scale things like a pile of termites… well forget it.

1 Like

I’ll have time for a power nap while you eat through your helmet. I feel like I have solid odds at that point.

1 Like

That was probably the first zombie movie that made me be like ā€œFuck the whole planet is dead in a week with this one.ā€

3 Likes

Very rarely does a movie creep me out. Those zombies crawling up that wall outside of Jerusalem… crazy.

3 Likes

Sorry Loppar, it is a scientific fact that once that egg is fertilized it is a human being.

I know families with Down’s children and they anything but a drag. Take some extra care, sure, but none of the families I know would ever have considered their special needs children anything other than enriching.

Saying that your speaking from experience leads me to believe that you have someone like that in your family? Can you honestly say your world would be a better place without that person?