No hunger, no disease, humans that don’t age and live for centuries on end… These notions may seem like something out of a science fiction film, but thanks to one emerging technology, they could very soon become the daily norm.
The claim itself may seem a bit bizarre, but keep in mind that so did the idea of computers becoming completely ubiquitous just a few decades ago. Anyone who had told you, for instance, that electric circuit boards dictating zeros and ones were going to completely change the way you watch TV, get your news, communicate with friends and family, shop, etc., would have certainly raised a brow in 1980.
Today, though, the world is a drastically different place, with most of us fully accustomed to the pervasive nature of digital technology. We take computing, the Internet, and everything between for granted these days — just a few short decades after it had all seemed completely impossible.
Consider, for instance, that wireless signals now allow us to send text, images, and video through thin air, virtually anywhere we go, yet we don’t give that a second thought anymore. Consider, too, that entire libraries of books, music, and movies are stored on tiny pieces of silicon that fit in the palm of your hand — yet we’re amazed by this no longer.
This, though, is the nature of all major technological progress. First someone dreams it, then the masses ignore or deny it, until one day, what seems like suddenly, you realize what an indispensable tool it is for daily living.
By the time most people realize the true potential of certain technologies, of course, it’s too late. It’s too late for companies like Microsoft that chose not to buck the smartphone trend when Apple decided to. It’s too late for investors who chose not to take an early stake in companies like Facebook when social media was still young.
Fortunately, though, for anyone who’s missed out on technology’s greatest windfalls of wealth, there’s always something that comes next — something currently being pioneered by the dreamers of today and doubted by what will soon become the masses of yesterday.
So I’ll say again:
No hunger, no disease, humans that don’t age and live for centuries on end…
Rest assured, these fantastical notions are not just dreams thought up by sci-fi novelists, moviemakers, or a few medical quacks unbridled by optimism — they are actual intimations that prelude the future of humanity.
The Next Stage of Man
To many, the power of ubiquitous genetic engineering is as frightening as it is encouraging. As is the case with any tool, it can both help and harm.
On one hand, gene modification will create crops impervious to disease and resistant to drought. It will bring cancer to its knees and eradicate genetic disease from us and our descendants. It may even unlock the door to virtual immortality, allowing us to age as slowly as a giant tortoise.
On the other hand, precision in genetic engineering is bound to bring a number of ethical questions to surface. What happens to us “normal people,” for instance, when designer-humans, tuned for physical and mental perfection, begin to out-pace us?
What happens, many will fear, if and when we get left behind?
This particular idea has been explored throughout science fiction already, the most notable example being Andrew Niccol’s 1997 film Gattaca. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend making it your next movie night.
The premise goes like this: In a world where only the genetically modified are deemed fit for certain occupations, a simple human, Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), fights to prove that with enough willpower, you can achieve anything, regardless of your genetic makeup.
As heartwarming as Gattaca may be, it is undeniably a work of fiction. Genetics ultimately determine who and what we are — and if recent advancements are of any indication, ubiquitous gene modification will inevitably leave modern humans in the dust.
Of course, it will take generations for designer babies to cement their evolutionary footprint. And while the ability to select your child’s intelligence level, athletic ability, etc. will eventually happen, this science is still decades away.
Instead, the vast majority of genetic scientists and biotech companies today are starting with modifications of more immediate importance. Specifically, they’re concerned about crop improvement and eradication of disease. Of course, we’ve already used genetic science in these areas before, but the methods of yesterday simply pale in comparison to what comes next.
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CRISPR: The Word Processor of Genomics
Basic gene modification, as we all know, has already been happening for years, but until recently, editing DNA has required sophisticated labs, years of experience, and many thousands of dollars. It’s also been rather imprecise — somewhat like plucking your eyebrows with a pair of tongs.
In 2013, though, a new method of practical gene editing surfaced in the halls of academia. This method, known as CRISPR-Cas9, promised not only to dramatically improve our ability to edit the DNA of any species (including humans) but also to substantially lower costs.
After a massive influx of research since this discovery just few years ago, most experts now agree that CRISPR is the key that will unlock ubiquitous genetic modification, the same way graphical user interface once opened the door to personal computing. Think upgrading from a typewriter to Microsoft Word.
As Jennifer Doudna, the scientist credited with the discovery of this method, has boldly put it, CRISPR-Cas9 is the “beginning of the end of genetic disease.”
And Doudna isn’t the only scientist out there to believe in the power and promise of CRISPR-Cas9, either. Since her discovery, research papers on the topic have more than tripled. Jointly, market forecasts are putting a $3.5 billion value on the technology by as soon as 2019. Billionaires including Bill Gates are already investing in it. So are massive corporations like Alphabet Inc. (formerly Google).
Today, we are at the stage of the dreamers and the doubters. There are those who will ignore the ultimate promise of CRISPR and there are those who will embrace it. If history is to serve as a prelude, you can bet it’s the latter group that will benefit immensely.
Until next time,
Jason Stutman
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