Juan Enriquez: Decoding the future with genomics (Feb. 2003):
Hmm…don’t know if I agree with all this man says, but the parts on genome science is very interesting.
Obama gave the green light to stem cell research, as many probably already know. The research doesn’t bother me, it’s what potentially happens next that’s worrisome, like the patenting of life as is already well underway. And the marketing of technologies that may prove popular but dangerous. As much as we want to know about ourselves and other species, there does come a point where perhaps we’re better off not knowing. ‘Course where and what that is is anybody’s guess – we’ll probably pass it by a longshot before we’re aware of any dire consequences.
Gregory Stock: To upgrade is human (2003):
This man scares the crap out of me. Creating customizable babies is NOT the best use of science. Pursuing anti-aging therapy, regardless of the consequences, doesn’t sound like a good idea either. He’s right though, we can’t really stop it – these technologies will just move elsewhere, out of view, and persist with the help of wealthy supporters. Hrmm…
Craig Venter: On the verge of creating synthetic life (2008):
Recapturing CO2 to feed fuel-producing microorganisms in an effort to replace the petro-chemical industry. Amazing. Makes you wonder how we take technology for granted so often, right? Hmm…Craig Venter argues in the end that this technology is needed to combat bioterrorism by creating more vaccinations. I don’t like the sound of that, even with the population expected to jump to 9 billion in 40 years. He then lightly touches on accusations of “playing God” by saying simply this is science at its best.
Jane Goodall: What separates us from the apes? (2002):
Inspiring, wise words.
Aubrey de Grey: Why we age and how we can avoid it (July 2005):
Not sure what to make of this guy. Wow. What’s best to tackle first, improving the current quality of life for people everywhere or increasing the human lifespan? Well, as with any new technology, the rich will have access to it first. Keep that in mind.
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Endgame: Blueprint for Global Enslavement « Wake Me Now said
[...] on why we age and how to extend lives with advancements in stem cell research. It can be found on this post or on TED directly. I remember while watching that back then thinking this technology will [...]