Artificial Evolution

Modern humans have been evolving over millions of years. Human evolution is characterized by a number of morphological, developmental, physiological, and behavioral changes. The most significant of these adaptations are bipedalism, increased brain size, lengthened ontogeny (gestation and infancy), and decreased sexual dimorphism. Other significant morphological changes included the evolution of a power and precision grip, a change first occurring in Homo erectus.

While evolution is natural process, modern medicine now has the gene editing technology, CRISPR, to edit or remove human genes, thus impacting the future evolution of our species. There are many medically beneficial gene edits which could reduce human sickness and suffering, for example, removing the gene which causes sickle cell anemia, or modifying immune cells to make them more effective at targeting and destroying cancer cells.

But what will happen if CRISPR technology is used in medically unethical ways, such as, enhancing soldiers so they no longer feel pain or emotion? Or create breeding factories where women are used solely as incubators for designer babies?

These latter examples may sound like science fiction but are they really, fiction?

By @dehiscenceart 2021, 5400px x 7200px