Saturday, November 03, 2007
Supermouse and human longevity
A genetically modified "supermouse" which can run twice as far as a normal rodent, and lives longer, has been created by scientists working in the US. An artist's cartoon depiction of the mouse, a brief scientific summary, and reference to original work, is here.
IMO: Such techniques could possibly be used to improve the potentialities of human beings alive today - you and me. I am not basically a geneticist (though I have a Ph.D. in chemistry) so in this brief blog I won't go into details as to how this might be done. There is still a lot to do. However there is one obvious moral: if more of the money wasted on so-called "defense" (in actual fact going to in-pocket bribery of politicians and businessmen) and on quite futile megaprojects and other vote catching activities, could be spent on useful scientific research, we would all, every one of us, be better off.
IMO: Such techniques could possibly be used to improve the potentialities of human beings alive today - you and me. I am not basically a geneticist (though I have a Ph.D. in chemistry) so in this brief blog I won't go into details as to how this might be done. There is still a lot to do. However there is one obvious moral: if more of the money wasted on so-called "defense" (in actual fact going to in-pocket bribery of politicians and businessmen) and on quite futile megaprojects and other vote catching activities, could be spent on useful scientific research, we would all, every one of us, be better off.
# posted by uv : 4:06 AM
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
