We have entered an era of unprecedented mystery. Technology which allows you to manifest your will, basically over night, is beginning to take an even more wild turn. We’re not only beginning to manifest realities with the delivery of technology, but we’re also imposing our will upon other pre-existing manifestations - What I’m trying to say is we are using technology to manipulate the world and reality.
Scientists in China have cloned dogs from genetically modified parents.
The dogs, which are test tube babies, bred in a lab, have twice the muscle mass of their natural counterparts and are considerably stronger and faster. The genomes of the dogs have been especially difficult to engineer and replicate, but they are close to the human genome, which has long sought after by geneticists.
Success with the project have created fears that the Chinese will create or weaponize the technology by creating genetically modified Human beings.
David King, director of Human Genetics Alert (HGA), voiced his fears over what is widely viewed as the first step on a very slippery slope.
He told express.co.uk: “It’s true that the more and more animals that are genetically engineered using these techniques brings us closer to the possibility of genetic engineering of humans.
“Dogs as a species, in respect of cloning are very difficult, and are even more difficult to clone than human beings. He said. “There’s no medical case for it, the scientists are interested in being the first person in the world to create a genetically engineered child.”
A world of people genetically modified and bred to be superior brings a host of ethical issues as well as Human rights problems. What kind of regulations could be put in play to guard against the misuse of this technology and the ramifications afterwards?
“They’re interested in science and the technology and their careers. They will continue pushing the regulations for it.” King goes on to say, “That does set us on the road to eugenics. I am very concerned with what I’m seeing.”
For people unfamiliar with eugenics and directed evolution, it’s a principal tenant used when looking at the world through Darwin’s eyes; evolution guided by ones own self. This is the ultimate declaration of Transhumanism. The very concept of superhumans derives itself from Nietzsche’s Ubermensch, Hitler’s Aryan Race and what we call today Super Soldiers.
Yet, we never contemplated how we could get to that position, but using things like this super-dog technology brings it closer to reality. The Chinese researchers first self-bred cloned dog was named Little Long Long. The beagle puppy, one of 27, was genetically engineered by ‘deleting’ a gene called myostatin, giving it double the muscle mass of a normal beagle
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The advance genetic editing technology has been touted as a breakthrough which could herald the dawn of ‘super-breeds’, which could be stronger, faster, better at running and hunting. The word from Chinese officials is that these dogs could potentially be use to assist police officers that are the frontline. Other countries such as Germany have attempted to do the same with their german shepards, but haven’t been successful.
Dr. Lai Liangxue, researcher at Guangzhou Institute of Biological Medicine and Health, said: "This is a breakthrough, marking China as only the second country in the world to independently master dog-somatic clone technology, after South Korea." Of the 65 embryos that were ‘edited’, and from the 27 were born, Little Long Long was the only one who was created without the myostatin gene. Myostatin is known to control muscle size in humans.
Dogs are one of the hardest animals to clone, with only South Korea thought to have successfully created a clone in the past.
As well as the enhancements, researchers said in the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology some dogs will be bred with DNA mutations in a bid to help medical research, including some which mimic Parkinson’s. "Dogs are very close to humans in terms of metabolic, physiological and anatomical characteristics.", some have criticized the experiments, citing ethical concerns. Mr King said: “This is the way its likely to proceed if the law is changed, first of all they will use it for medical purposes, most likely to treat a genetic condition. In terms of genetic engineering we will be seeing this more and more.”
Credits: Adnews
