designer genes
This article on the speech gene is pretty interesting. I know it is a rather simplistic supposition, but what if we could somehow put the human speech gene into an animal with adequate brain capacity for complex communication, like dolphins! Or maybe elephants, who it has been suggested have tribal, not just individual, memories – could they tell us what it’s like? And here’s one where we could borrow a gene – the ability to regenerate body parts – from a fish!
I just left a smart-ass (if slightly illogical) comment on the Daily Galaxy Image of the Day, a photo of the HGC 87 galaxy group. In addition to making myself laugh, this has the added benefit of putting a link to our blog on their comments section!
Emilily, and 
Carmen are discussing.
Carmen 12:12 pm on November 13, 2009 Permalink
Oh I’m so excited for the future. See, by the time we’re like 70 we can stop spending our money on anti-wrinkle creams because we’ll just be able to regenerate our skin! All of these beauty companies should really be putting their money into gene research and then progress would grow in leaps and bounds. Its all based on how useful it will be to the public. Thats why DARPA’s discoveries always have a dual purpose – one for the military and one for the percentage of the public who have lots of disposable cash. Just look at how space travel has grown when the focus is moved to getting the public to spend their money on it. Suddenly we have a space hotel under construction. Whatever, I’m all preachy today. As much as I love progress i think capitalism makes me angry. After doing a little research I might have to take back what I said about DARPA, most of their projects are only for the military. Unless the public wants one of these!
Emilily 12:45 pm on November 13, 2009 Permalink
Holy batship Robin, I want one of those!
Emilily 1:08 pm on November 13, 2009 Permalink
I just thought of something…that thing would be way more stealth if it didn’t have its own Wikipedia article.
Emilily 1:10 pm on November 13, 2009 Permalink
We’re totally on the same page, here, too – capitalism is good for the pocketbook, bad for the soul.