A designer baby is a baby genetically modified in its embryonic stage of development or before to that. It is done before implanting the baby into the mother's womb by the scientists/embryologists. The purpose of this is to create babies that can be free of some undesired genetic traits such as diseases or specifically to provide the parent with the physical traits they desire in their kid, including its sex.
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This is not to be mistaken with Eugenics which is supposedly a more natural way of matching individuals so they could produce offspring with desired qualities. In the case of designer baby, genetic engineering is involved. Much like modifying James "Bucky" Barnes into becoming Captain America (cool right?), well, there are no evidences that a fully grown man's genes could be modified to become a super soldier but what we are saying is that, it is quite possible to set the traits in motion before he is even a fully developed baby in Mrs Barnes womb. Get the picture?
In a very basic term, evolution teaches that in order to adapt to their environments, organisms (biological cells) change. They become new organisms, similar but entirely different from the previous one. It is worthy to note that evolution is a slow process taking millions (sometimes, hundred millions) of years.
So scientists have finally found a way to by-pass the millions of years that could possibly allow them to provide us with humans with some nice traits (not just humans becoming 9ft average height but sure we could have that) but picture this: A baby whose sex is chosen as a female by the parents, who would not inherit a cancer-gene, asthma, Alzheimer, not prone to HIV, super intelligent as a child, without the parents having to clean her nose time and time again like a regular kid, perfect (or whatever is defined by the parent as that) facial features with no need for plastic surgery.
The way I see it; being a fan of technology, sci-fi and comic, I think it is a brilliant technology. As there is the many good side, sadly, there is going to be a reverse side, which means the it could be used to achieve the opposite. This means that with this kind of ability, the elites could decide to create a dystopian society for all. Only thing that comes to my mind is the the divergent series (book and movie).
Note: I am not an expert, this is only my opinion after browsing a few random pages on the topic. lol.
Interesting Read: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2143534-crispr-makes-piglets-that-may-be-better-organ-donors-for-humans/
Now i will hav to design my future daughter got the boys needs the most intelligent most beautiful most of all time. Science trully defined the world. To some family suffering from genetic health issues this is the most wonderful news it can be solved. Very intereting article thinking deep with this
Just stay with your 7 boys ma'am and prepare for the "idobales".
she go pay bride price tire...lol
Why do u tink am planning on designing the daughter..so her price can be above dollar pounds..shes gonna get paid with bitcoin(prideprice) father of them all..cryptomarriage cryptoprice ..blockchain wiffy .. Desire is she
Very soon, there will be decentralized bride price.
Very interesting article. I believe that almost every discovery in science, some more than others, can be used either for the improvement of society or its demise. In this case I can not say I am optimistic about the future but who knows, maybe the ethics associated with Medicine will not allow such unaccountable use.
I am glad you found it interesting. Sadly, everything is just perspective. Only the law can define what is right and what is not and in this case, if it becomes popular, the elites determine what the law says. For example, abortion is illegal in some places but legal in some areas. It is also possible to find a society where having more than a number of children is considered illegal.
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I don't really see this as something wrong. But that may be as a result of me being too much of a scientist to worry about the moral or other emotional attachment to getting things done right. I'll appreciate a super baby immune to some certain diseases that mankind can't cure at the moment :)
I share your sentiments regarding the diseases but do you also worry about the possibility of it being exploited to have factions like it happened in Divergent?
That may be in extreme case scenario.
Strange and eerie!
Designer baby........That is just simply 'Altering nature'.
And what happens to such a baby, if the genetic desires the parents had for the baby didn't come to fruition?
Or does the practice have a 100% guarantee?
It is supposed to be 100%. Since the alteration is happening at the genetic level and to be performed by experts. They can remove or introduce any form of trait that is desired.
Is this not trying to help nature? What are the side effects?
Improving nature. Sure.
Ok
A nice one.
So the problem of babies sex is gone