The Science Behind 'Genetically Modified Humans'
The media have been talking about “genetically modified humans” and “designer babies.” But what they're really talking about is germ-line engineering: a process that could help eliminate...
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What if we could improve the human gene pool? Create children that are free of the genes that cause inherited diseases, like Huntington’s or certain kinds of cancer, by modifying the DNA in eggs, sperm, or embryos? Well, it’s possible. The media have been talking about it lately in terms of “genetically modified humans” or “designer babies.” But to scientists, it’s known as germ-line engineering -- referring to the germ cells, or sperm and egg cells that come together to create an embryo. Putting an end to heritable disease sounds like a crowd-pleasing idea, right? But germ-line engineering is pretty controversial. In fact, about 40 countries either discourage or outright ban the practice. And yet, researchers continue to inch closer to ...
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What if we could improve the human gene pool? Create children that are free of the genes that cause inherited diseases, like Huntington’s or certain kinds of cancer, by modifying the DNA in eggs, sperm, or embryos? Well, it’s possible. The media have been talking about it lately in terms of “genetically modified humans” or “designer babies.” But to scientists, it’s known as germ-line engineering -- referring to the germ cells, or sperm and egg cells that come together to create an embryo. Putting an end to heritable disease sounds like a crowd-pleasing idea, right? But germ-line engineering is pretty controversial. In fact, about 40 countries either discourage or outright ban the practice. And yet, researchers continue to inch closer to ...
