Thread: How Could You Use A Superhuman's DNA/Genes/Blood/Bone Marrow etc To Enhance A Living Human?

Let's just call the Superhuman - "X". Let's just say that he's 7 feet tall, advanced musculature, large brain, advanced intellect etc etc - basically, a very advanced member of the human race, above the peak of even the very best human.

Now, it is necessary that we keep him alive (e.g. he's working on an important weapons experiment).

So, with this in mind, how do we use his DNA to enhance a living human. I know we can of course create an enhanced human by simply having "X" procreate; but, how, for example can we use "X's" DNA/genes/blood/bone marrow to enhance/improve a living young boy or a living young man?

Or can we not?

Pure theory here. It cannot be done as yet. However, it is easy to extract DNA. That could, in theory, be used to enhance a normal person by gene therapy. Possibly using a virus to transfer some of that DNA.

Or the DNA might be added to a human zygote so that the new baby is also superior. If so, the superior DNA would be transferred to further generations.

One thing. Having gained the superior DNA, it can be replicated to provide an unending supply to enhance as many zygotes as needed.

What happens if a virus that appears only kills people like this "superhuman" your talking about? If they were all the same then that line of humans would die off. Diversity is the best when it comes to living here no matter what you might think about a "superhuman". Look around at nature, do you see any one creature or living thing "superior" to everything else? Of course not that's because of adaptation to the environment which nature seems to be good at, don't you think?

To cosmic

A 'superhuman' requires only a few hundred genes to be different. You can retain the thousands of others in full variability to give you the adaptability required.

By getting that superhuman to explain its thoughts to normal human being.

Originally Posted by AHeinrich

Let's just call the Superhuman - "X".

So, with this in mind, how do we use his DNA to enhance a living human?

Viagra, porn videos, sperm bank, & some willing fillies.

Originally Posted by skeptic

To cosmic

A 'superhuman' requires only a few hundred genes to be different. You can retain the thousands of others in full variability to give you the adaptability required.

What you might think is "superhuman" might not be what I might think as superhuman. As an example you think that a taller human is "superior" but I think that a moderate sized human would be fine. Who decides as to which characteristic is going to be implemented and which genes used in order to "manufacture" this type of individual? Then what if these "superhumans" want to control everyone else and the rest of humanity becomes slaves to their desires?

I think we can transfer the nucleus of some of Superhuman X 's cells into stem cells, and then inject these stem cells into a normal human test subject (assuming that the X genes are compatible with humans and not outlandish).
I think there are some gene therapy that have been successful in gradually replacing defective genes(patients original genes) with normal genes(someone else's genes).
In France one specific genetic disease was cured in tests (the disease had a variant that existed in mice and the therapy was tested on mice for a while before it was tested on humans with success). In mice the defective genes caused mice to have shorter snouts like a bull dog (probably in addition to other health effects) and the treated mice gradually grew their snout/nose back to typical length.
Technically it could be possible to replace defective genes that allow pharmaceuticals to generate billions of profits while providing a daily pill that never cures the person ever, with healthy genes that do not require billion dollars of never ending pill dependency. Im guessing pharma are allocating more resources in marketing drugs than developing permanent gene therapy.


Also note that a Superhuman X with superior intellect, growing up as a kid among groaning cavemen, would probably become a (relatively) intelligent caveman, but would nonetheless have the skills and ignorance of a caveman, and might not know how to perform algebra, speak a few languages, would be ignorant about the world and not know how to perform various tasks that a normal intelligence kid could do with proper education. And if he grew in a featureless grey chamber without stimuli to form neural patterns, if he survived to adulthood, he would probably be a virtual vegetable, more intelligent than a potato, but less intelligent than a typical ape.

Above the peak of the very best human? Increasing height in human populations is generally attributable to improved nutrition rather than to innate differences.

Do we want basketball and volleyball players and rowers or do we want gymnasts and divers? Do we want sprinters or long distance runners?
These activities are best performed by people of different physiques. Maintaining this kind of diversity is really important if we have any interest in physically maintaining ourselves as a species.

I'd much rather see any "improvement" focused on better social skills as well as rational thinking for making better decisions.

The original question related to a "superhuman" who had a range of qualities at, but not beyond the human peak. He might have the intellect of Einstein, but not more. The speed of Bolt, but no faster. These qualities are found in normal genomes and thus, in theory, could be transferred.

Some qualities are not compatible with each other. We could not create an Olympic champion at both the sprint and the marathon, for example.

Who decides which ethnic background they would be engineered with or which color eyes or which kind of arms(long or short), so there's so many problems with gene manipulation trying to "build" a "superhuman" it should never be done because there's to many problems.

Better way is to just get rid of those genes that cause diseases and stupidity as examples and therefore society would be far better off than just having a few "superhumans" to try to decide things for the rest of society.

Cosmic

If something like that ever happens, it will affect all of humanity, not just a select few.

And, yes, people will choose to make super babies. There are now a few 'super' sperm banks, with Nobel prize winners and olympic champions donating sperm. Apparently the demand is such that they cannot get enough such sperm.

Originally Posted by skeptic

Cosmic

If something like that ever happens, it will affect all of humanity, not just a select few.

And, yes, people will choose to make super babies. There are now a few 'super' sperm banks, with Nobel prize winners and olympic champions donating sperm. Apparently the demand is such that they cannot get enough such sperm.

Which is a bit silly, actually. Look how many Nobel Prize winners later were loopy, claiming they talked to glowing green racoons and such.

I have no doubt nor serious ethical reservations about humans taking charge of their own evolution from now on.

Originally Posted by Neverfly

Originally Posted by skeptic

Cosmic

If something like that ever happens, it will affect all of humanity, not just a select few.

And, yes, people will choose to make super babies. There are now a few 'super' sperm banks, with Nobel prize winners and olympic champions donating sperm. Apparently the demand is such that they cannot get enough such sperm.

Which is a bit silly, actually. Look how many Nobel Prize winners later were loopy, claiming they talked to glowing green racoons and such.

You'er just jealous cause the racoons will not talk to you.

Originally Posted by Sealeaf

just jealous cause the racoons will not talk to you.

Ah, but I'm more jealous that he won the Nobel Prize.

They talk to me, but refuse to glow.

Originally Posted by AHeinrich

but, how, for example can we use "X's" DNA/genes/blood/bone marrow to enhance/improve a living young boy or a living young man?
Or can we not?

You can not.
I am not available for such things.

boil their bodies and smoke them like crack?

Originally Posted by skeptic

Cosmic

If something like that ever happens, it will affect all of humanity, not just a select few.

And, yes, people will choose to make super babies. There are now a few 'super' sperm banks, with Nobel prize winners and olympic champions donating sperm. Apparently the demand is such that they cannot get enough such sperm.

Not sure why'd the be called "super". An intelligent parent does not always, or perhaps even usually, produce exceptional offspring. Take Albert Einstein, he had five children, ever heard of any of them? But, you posted a very interesting idea.

Originally Posted by cosmictraveler

Who decides which ethnic background they would be engineered with or which color eyes or which kind of arms(long or short), so there's so many problems with gene manipulation trying to "build" a "superhuman" it should never be done because there's to many problems.

Better way is to just get rid of those genes that cause diseases and stupidity as examples and therefore society would be far better off than just having a few "superhumans" to try to decide things for the rest of society.

Cosmic- I presume that the intended recipient would decide which genes they wanted to get.

It's a lot like women getting silicon injected into their breasts, except in this case they could just get DNA from a woman who had very large natural breasts and then they'd be "real".

I'm all for it.



An interesting side question though: Could the process be used to reverse aging, by injecting DNA from a younger person which hasn't deteriorated yet (has a longer telomer still attached to it)?

Seems like you'd want to take DNA samples from a child at early age and freeze them for later, so they could inject some of their own youthful DNA into themselves later in life.

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/traits/telomeres/