In this day and age, the newest and greatest technological advancement is something to be desired. Whether it be the iPhone 12, the car that runs on water, or the holograph-projecting wrist watch, we are a society that craves status by technology. Though we are aware of the progress in certain fields of technology such as communication, transportation, and healthcare, there are new advancements that could alter the course of human evolution as we know it. The study of genetics first began in the mid 1800’s and in only a hundred and fifty years it has opened up possibilities beyond anything its discoverers could have imagined. The term ‘designer babies’ was originally coined by journalists with a simple and somewhat condescending perspective
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Scientists were able to match the designer baby’s DNA with his sister and used stem cells contained in his umbilical cord once he was born to counter his sister’s severe bone marrow deficiency. The boy is expected to live a long life free of inheritable disease. It was a successful experiment that led to Britain’s legalization of designer babies but only when created to help another person with a genetic disorder. Today in the US, designer babies may be created at fertility clinics in many states. Certain states have passed laws banning designer babies, while most states still approach the topic as a scientific experiment. At a glance, this leap in genetic technology appears to have limitless potential and the possibilities in furthering human health seem unbelievably beneficial, but the fallout of this genetic modification if it became a mainstream process could be catastrophic according to …show more content…
In April of 2015, a group of Chinese scientists were successful in removing certain genes from a DNA strand in a non-viable embryo and replacing them with superior genes. This allows the prospect of eliminating all disorders, choosing sex and appearance, boosting IQ, and increasing athleticism. Though this is a monumental moment in human ingenuity, even the geneticists responsible are wary of the effect this could have on the human species if genome editing was made available to the public without a thorough understanding of what they were editing. Even Gene-Function Researcher Jinjiu Huang, the head of the Chinese group responsible for the success, has decided to continue his research on animal DNA models until more is known about gene
Scientists were able to match the designer baby’s DNA with his sister and used stem cells contained in his umbilical cord once he was born to counter his sister’s severe bone marrow deficiency. The boy is expected to live a long life free of inheritable disease. It was a successful experiment that led to Britain’s legalization of designer babies but only when created to help another person with a genetic disorder. Today in the US, designer babies may be created at fertility clinics in many states. Certain states have passed laws banning designer babies, while most states still approach the topic as a scientific experiment. At a glance, this leap in genetic technology appears to have limitless potential and the possibilities in furthering human health seem unbelievably beneficial, but the fallout of this genetic modification if it became a mainstream process could be catastrophic according to …show more content…
In April of 2015, a group of Chinese scientists were successful in removing certain genes from a DNA strand in a non-viable embryo and replacing them with superior genes. This allows the prospect of eliminating all disorders, choosing sex and appearance, boosting IQ, and increasing athleticism. Though this is a monumental moment in human ingenuity, even the geneticists responsible are wary of the effect this could have on the human species if genome editing was made available to the public without a thorough understanding of what they were editing. Even Gene-Function Researcher Jinjiu Huang, the head of the Chinese group responsible for the success, has decided to continue his research on animal DNA models until more is known about gene