Now that the genome has been de-mystified there seem to be a spate of interesting discoveries, the most recent that a single Gene ‘controls body fat levels’.
Interesting stuff and potentially terrifically helpful: knowing what gene causes fat or cancer or Alzheimer’s or whatever is the first step on the road to creating a way to manipulate that gene or turn it off.
But maybe it’s a little scary, too. Is the day close at hand when we will take a pill, not only to ward off existing or potential illness, but also to change the colour of our eyes, the shape of our chin and the size of our … well, you get the picture?
If there is profit in it, the answer is a definite ‘yes.’ You can see the ad already: “Why pass on your ugly, unsightly nose when you can change your child’s future merely by taking our pill.”
Not hard to believe that in the near future gene intervention will become as fashionable as … fashion. Want to look like Britney? Wear this and take these.
But there would obviously be a huge upside, too. Like, want to avoid your father’s heart attack?
There are exciting times ahead, for the younger generation. Damn.
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