The Future Will Be Genetically Engineered

Genetic engineering is in some sense as old as human history, when we first began selectively breeding livestock and crops. Then came the advent of biotech, and our ability to read, copy, edit, and now write DNA directly with tools like CRISPR. But that’s just the beginning. With a whole new toolbox available to us and growing every day, our ability to design complex genetic functions is just getting started. In this talk, synthetic biologist Alec Nielsen, co-founder and CEO of Asimov, will walk us through the new technology tools and platforms we will use to program cell circuitry, design proteins, even debug biology. The future is being genetically engineered today.
Highlights
Biology is already advanced nanotechnology [1:00]
A brief overview of the history of bioengineering [2:09]
The technological advances that built the foundation of modern bioengineering [2:35]
Examples of the advances in bioengineering that were enabled by new technologies [4:01]
The breakthroughs of cell and gene therapies [7:00]
What genetic functions synthetic biologists are looking to build next [8:11]
Parallels in other industries like electrical engineering [9:12]
How bioengineers will program living cells with the aid of computers [10:15]
Bioengineered personalized treatments like cancer vaccines [11:03]
Designing unique encoded molecules [13:41]
Statistical approaches and computational models enabled by machine learning [15:00]
The types of products we can expect as bioengineering advances [15:16]
Solving the “space problem” with biology [16:59]

[@maximusnickila4440]

This to me is one of the most exciting and interesting sciences, I'm very happy to see that others share my excitement

[@tyc00n]

Genetically engineering will be like programming for some future generation

[@mattgaboury2387]

Favorite part is talking about the year 2037. A driveway that heals itself and the roof that can extract pollutants. Awesome stuff! Along with those two, I am wondering if we can have these living systems in the goods that we manufacture? We produce way too much waste and we have to get to circular solutions. Plastics especially. Does Asimov have any thoughts or plans for that?

[@wendelin39]

This stuff will change the whole game.. Hope we can engineer critical thinking

[@InfamousRafe]

Yes that's one of hiss' pitches. Superhuman/super intelligence. Thats one of rhe sub clumns under super human. In my opinion

[@wendelin39]

Our best hope for better future...

[@treybanks327]

With Ray Kurzweil taking the ranks for Google’s engineering department it is quite alarming to see his predictions for the near future which includes the capacity to reprogram our biology to be free of disease and aging. Printing most of our products including clothes and even replacing organs via 3D printing. Search engines are becoming ever more responsive and intelligent and the idea that humans will be fully immersed in visual-auditory virtual environments for social interactions and gameplay. Furthermore in December, 2013 it was reported by the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences that they had developed machine learning algorithms that can make chemical reactions intelligent. This brings us to another project started in 2000 started by Hod Lipson of Cornell University and Jordan Pollack of Brandeis University called the Golem Project. With the support of DARPA the Golem Project who’s acronym stood for (Genetically Organized Lifelike Electro Mechanics) conducted experiments in an attempt to develop self-replicating and self-manufacturing robotic lifeforms. While artificial organisms had been developed digitally to evolve in response to the programmed conditions. The goal for the Golem Project was to extract these organisms from the digital world to the physical world. While such products are available to the public mainstream. We can only speculate on the full extent of this practice behind closed doors of the deep underground. It should be clear by now that the modern technological and scientific agenda is built upon the same spiritual philosophies as ancient alchemy. The desire for man to manifest artificial life and as a result play God is nothing new. One of the goals for the alchemists was to create what is known as the golem. An animated anthropomorphic being created out of inanimate matter through magical workings. The Hebrew word golem is used once in the Bible. Strong’s 1564 golem-unformed mass. It is found in Psalms 139:16-“Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them”. According to Talmudic legends, Adam was initially created by God as a golem or as a body without a soul. For the first 12 hours of his existence, the substance which gave his lifeless body a soul was the breath of God. It was at this point that man became the image bearers of God. Genesis 2:7-“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul”. While it is appropriate for God himself to create life out of non-life it is easy to see that man attempting to do the same is in essence playing out the ancient lie that was promised to us before the fall of mankind. Genesis 3:3-5-“but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die. Then the serpent said to the woman, You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The methods to forming a golem were vast and complex. Involving everything from meditative techniques, numerological markings, and ritual enchanting. There are many Jewish traditions of old rabbis and sages creating a golem. For instance when Eleazar of Worms, a 12th century Talmudist and mystic commented on the Book of Formation or Sepher Yetzirah, one of the earliest Qabbalistic writings. He delivered a detailed and complex report of how to form a golem through advanced spiritual meditative techniques called the 221 gates. But perhaps the most famous golem is the one allegedly created by a rabbi named Yehudah Leib ben Betsal’el of Prague known as the Maharal of Prague in the 16th century. The legend goes that the Maharal created a golem named Yuusel, to help save the Jews of Prague from the blood libel, an early form of anti-semetism or cults derived from Roman catharticism, falsely accused Jews for kidnapping and murdering children to use their blood in religious rituals. After fulfilling his purpose, the golem Yuusel was deanimated by the Maharal. It is widely believed that Yuusel’s body was stored and still lays in the attic of Pragues’s Old New Synagogue. A building that was curiously and mysteriously not destroyed by the Nazis in World War 2. In fact it is believed that the Gestapo never entered the attic when they took possession of the synagogue. This is no surprise since it is well known that Hitler spoke often of the Übermacht to describe nationalist socialist agenda to creating a biological superior Aryan race that would rule the earth for 1000 years. In alchemy, there was a 16th century alchemist and occultist named Paracelsus described how to create the golem referred to as the homunculus in alchemical terms. In Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Paracelsus said quote “But rather must we by any means forget the generation of homunculus. For there is some truth in this thing, although for a long time it was held in a most occult and sorcery manner, while there was no little doubt and question among some of the old philosophers, whether it was possible to Nature and Art, that a man should be begotten without the female body and the natural womb. In order to accomplish it, you must proceed thus. Let the semen of a man purely by itself in a sealed cucurbite with the highest putrefaction...until it begins to live, move and be agitated, which can easily be seen...if now, after this, be every day nourished and fed cautiously and prudently with the arcanum of human blood, and kept for forty weeks in the perpetual and equal heat...it becomes, thenceforth a true and living infant, having all the members of a child that is born from a woman, but much smaller. This we call homunculus; and it should be afterwards educated with the greatest care and zeal, until it grows up and begins to display intelligence. Now, this is one of the greatest secrets which God has revealed to mortal and fallible man, it is a miracle and marvel of God, an arcanum of arcana, and deserves to be kept secret until the last times, when there shall be nothing hidden, but all things shall be made manifest.”

[@gargikaintura8889]

Every Biotechnologists like Me, can relate to this so well.. !! So proud to be a biotechnologist !

[@wendelin39]

Wonder when we'll be able to stave off aging

[@johnroll513]

Utopia

[@kooshikoo6442]

@@johnroll513 Not at all, a lot of progress is being made on that front, and researchers in geroscience are increasingly agreeing that there is aging can be slowed or even reversed, and slowing and partial reveersal of aging has been demonstrated in many organisms, with many different methods, fort instance calorie restrioction, nad+, blood plasma dilution,etc,etc.

[@johnroll513]

@@kooshikoo6442 thanks a lot I prefer death to your utopia Im not interested in your religion

[@DAEDRICDUKE1]

@@johnroll513 this is a bizarre conversation

[@amarnathjha340]

interesting.

[@treybanks327]

Building The Image Of the Beast:Agencies of Process I am not against the helpful aspects of technology especially its potential benevolent properties and effects to mankind. I believe that the majority of the work is done with good intentions for the well being of mankind. At the same time though as the old saying goes, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”. There are in general four areas of the advancing technologies. These are called G.R.I.N technologies consisting of genetics, robotics, intelligence and nanotechnology. Early in the 20th century, we saw the development of what we call eugenics. Eugenics was a social philosophy with the belief that humans can improve their genetic quality by selective control of human breeding and sterilization. The history of eugenics in America has largely been forgotten. For example, eugenics was widely accepted in the U.S. academic community in the early 1900s with financial support from corporations like the Carnegie Institution and the Rockefeller Foundation. Many of the states in the U.S. also have laws that allow eugenics based sterilization and euthanasia, while today eugenics is largely remembered as Nazi propaganda. The reality was that it was a major part of American culture. Many believe that the concept of eugenics has ceased to exist and faded away into history but they are multitudes unaware of how they are wrong for thinking so. Eugenics is very much alive today just under a different name. Genetic Engineering;also called genetic modification, is the direct manipulation of an organism’s genome using biotechnology. In 1998, Dr. Gregory E. Pence, professor of philosophy and arts in humanities at the university of Alabama stated quote “Many people love their retrievers and their sunny dispositions around children and adults. Could people be chosen in the same way? Would it be so terrible to allow parents to at least aim for a certain type, in the same way great breeders...try to match a breed of dog to the needs of a family?” Bio-Ephesus Arthur Caplan from the university of Pennsylvania in an interview with ABC News back in 2000 stated quote, “Making babies sexually will become rare...Many parents will leap at the chance to make their children smarter, fitter and prettier. Ethical concerns will be overtaken by the realization that technology simply makes for better children. In a competitive market society, people are going to want to give kids an edge...They’ll slowly get used to the idea that a genetic edge is not greatly different from an environment edge”. Francis Fukuyama from The Institute for Public Policy at George Mason University, an author of End of History stated quote “Biotechnology will be able to accomplish what the radical ideologies of the past, with their unbelievably crude technologies, were unable to accomplish: to bring about a new type of human being...With the next couple of generations...we will have definitively finished human History because we will have abolished human beings as such. And then, a new posthuman history will begin”. And finally Joel Garreau in his book Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies-and What It Means to Be Human states quote “The ability to tinker with our genes offers the astounding promise and peril-of immortality, which mythically has been the defining difference between gods and mortals. It also offers the possibility of an even greater variety of breeds of human than there is of dogs”. The list of organizations and groups working tirelessly for the advancement in various areas of technologies and the conscious evolution of humanity is vast. Alcor Life Extension Foundation , based out in Scottsdale, California, is a non-profit company operating and performing cryonics for preservation of humans in liquid nitrogen after legal death with the hopes of restoring them in full health in the future when the technology is developed. As of March 31st, 2013, Alcor had 985 members and 117 in cryo-reservation.

[@ET-oq9mg]

That's amazing, if one day engineers get involved in to cell writing/designing, then it will change almost everything, even engineers will finally take life science from doctors !!!

[@treybanks327]

Homo Evolutis Juan Enriquez, Chairman and CEO of Biotechnology stated quote “Humanity is on the verge of becoming a new and utterly unique species...Homo Evolutis. What makes this species so unique is that it takes direct and deliberate control over the evolution of the species. All of our organs and limbs have weaknesses that can be addressed and there are also opportunities to go beyond basic fixes and perform more elaborate enhancements.” Again Juan’s desire may be descent but it comes from a worldview that there is no God, and if we evolved this far why not just take control of this evolution and become who we “want to be.” Why not fix those errors that we are mortally failing/dying from. For example our organs don’t function properly as we age, why not “go beyond that”. Instead of having perfect vision, why not have even better than perfect vision or eagle eye vision. Instead of having the strength of a normal human being why not have the strength of a gorilla. What they are really searching for are these genes in animals and they want to splice/mingle them with our DNA so that we can become “greater than what we are now”. Human Era Ended John P. McTernan, Lifetime student of American history and Bible scholar stated quote “The human DNA is what physically carries this image and likeness. The addition of animal DNA means that man is no longer in God’s image. It is extremely dangerous to tamper with the integrity of man as transmitted through his DNA. This is in part what triggered the flood in Noah’s day. All of the hybrid humans were destroyed during the flood and God then restarted with Noah.” And it’s why I believe as we unlock Pandora’s box of genetics it seems rather innocuous at this point. These scientists and engineers are doing it for supposedly “noble aspirations”. I do not believe all geneticists are evil or corrupted, I think most of them truly believe in their hearts that they are indeed operating in this field for noble intent but as the old saying goes “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” They genuinely want to help humanity but it will be used for a very bleak and negative ending. Joseph Infranco, Senior Council for the Alliance Defense Fund. stated quote “The chimera in Greek mythology was a monster with a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and a dragon’s tail. It was universally viewed by the Greeks as a hideous creature, precisely because of it’s unnatural hybrid makeup…We are in a time where scientists are seriously contemplating the creation of human-animal hybrids/chimeras.” Posthumanism Age Verner Vinge, science fiction author, computer scientists, transhumanist and mathematician in H+ Magazine on October 25, 2011 stated quote “In Thirty years, we will have the technological means to create superhuman intelligence. Shortly thereafter, the human era will be ended.” According to Leon Kass, American physician, scientist, educator and public intellectual in his book Life, Liberty and the Defense of Dignity stated quote “Human nature itself lies on the operating table, ready for alteration/modification crew for eugenic and psychic enhancement for wholesale redesign. In leading laboratories, academic and industrial, new creators are amassing their powers and quietly honing their skills, while on the streets their evangelists are zealously prophesying a posthuman future. For anyone who cares about preserving our humanity, the time has come for paying attention.” These are not Christians talking these are the minds of transhumanist talking. This is the chapter in humanity where our very nature is being transformed from the inside out. It goes beyond human potential and again it will get worst. As of 2011, 150 human-animal hybrids were grown in U.K. labs where the embryos have been produced secretly for the past 9 years.

[@thegoodlydragon7452]

I can understand ethical concerns with experimenting on potentially sentient beings like micro-brains etc., and I can understand concerns about making mistakes that could harm people due to a lack of a full understanding of the complexities of genetics, but I can't understand this nonsense about playing God. If God gave you reason, and evidently doesn't mind you using it to fly as the birds, or alter the vision level he gave you with corrective lenses or whatever, then why does this specifically cross the line? Also, the Noah's Ark story was about offing hybrids? LOL!

[@callofdutymobile1074]

Self healing would be cool i think there some animals gene should be studied

[@rudiansah9754]

🇺🇸🔗SPEAK PERSONAL COMPUTER 👍

[@chanelle4356]

I am so worried about my kids' future!!!

[@jakubf4416]

Don't. That would help them more

[@RedianRed]

Why tho?

[@skeletonlord2126]

really cool presentation, but it feels like you're trying to make the language unnecessarily complicated. Interesting perspective, though.

[@pieter5466]

It's actually highly accurate and precise language e.g. "molecular machines", "sensors"/"circuits"/"actuators" etc., as opposed to "genetic engineering" which is a relatively vague term. Speaking as somene who's read Drexler for decades.

[@playframe6231]

Fuk ye

[@treybanks327]

Man Becoming His Own God Richard Griffith Seed, American physicist, entrepreneur and transhumanist in an interview on the Nation Public Radio back in August 1, 1998 stated quote “I’ve said many times that you can’t stop science… God made man in his own image. God intended for man to become one with God. We are going to become one with God. We are going to have almost as much knowledge and almost as much power as God. Cloning and the reprogramming of DNA is the first serious step in becoming one with God. We are going to become Gods period...But if you are going to interfere with me becoming a god, you’re going to have trouble. There’ll be warfare.” This is what the neo-secular/atheist movement believes. They do not believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob or the Creator God, but despite dismissing God as non-existent, he believes and many others that they are able to achieve the state of existence of a god. Again these are not just LSD heads or crackpots sitting in the backroom. These are people with tremendous aspirations with tremendous wealth as well as with tremendous technological inquiry to further their goals and they have the means to actually make things happen, they are not to be underestimated. Transgenics Genetic scientists have incorporated selected spider DNA into goat embryos to engineer a hybrid spider-goat. The result is a goat that looks like a goat, acts like a goat. BUT produces milk which contains proteins which when treated, produces a very close imitation of the valuable spider silk. A single goat only produces small amounts of the desired material, so an extremely large herd is required to aquire useful quantities. This transformation and the manipulation of the genes means the goat is no longer a pure goat. To the addition of this Taiwan researchers have mingled the seed (genetic material) of pigs with jellyfish that glow in the dark to create real life green eggs and ham. They claim that in quote “while other researchers have bred partly fluorescent pigs, theirs are the only pigs in the world which are green through and through. The pigs are TRANSGENIC created by adding genetic material from (jellyfish into a normal pig embryo).” It seems fun and enticing but it will get worst as man begins to explore deeper into the Pandora’s box of the mysteries that genetics holds.

[@skrieni]

These motherfuckers and the fuckin technology should be stopped.