Synthetic Cells

It's a short step from copying DNA code to writing your own code. Right now we're in the process of reverse engineering lifeforms. Once we know enough we'll be able to design our own creatures.

I expect that within 50 years we'll be able create simple lifeforms to order. Within 100 years we will probably be able to design complex lifeforms from scratch.

I expect that most of what will be done will be modifications of existing creatures. Imagine soldiers 2-3 times stronger than a current Olympic athlete, with superb hand & eye coordination, the balance of a gymnast, and highly intelligent with perfect memory etc.. It is quite possible that this will be done retroactively to adults using retroviruses and nanotech etc...

If you think that such practices will be outlawed, you're wrong. No government would tie it's own hands and be left behind in this genetics arms race. Depending how much the technology costs, it could be limited to special units or as widespread as being implemented in basic training. You can be sure that once it's possible it will be done.
 
justacaveman said:
If you think that such practices will be outlawed, you're wrong. No government would tie it's own hands and be left behind in this genetics arms race. Depending how much the technology costs, it could be limited to special units or as widespread as being implemented in basic training. You can be sure that once it's possible it will be done.
Click to expand...
Don't trust governments to get it right. They will want this:-
344032-148355-rogue-trooper_large.jpg


and they will end up with this:-
smurf.jpg
 
alex_greene said:
justacaveman said:
If you think that such practices will be outlawed, you're wrong. No government would tie it's own hands and be left behind in this genetics arms race. Depending how much the technology costs, it could be limited to special units or as widespread as being implemented in basic training. You can be sure that once it's possible it will be done.
Click to expand...
Don't trust governments to get it right. They will want this:-
and they will end up with this:-
Click to expand...
and just to be clear the desired outcome was .... ?
 
:lol:

Well, according to picture texts, the government wants G.I.s but will get Smurfs :P

One thing occured to me if genetic changes will be made to adults during a boot camp or in whatever phase of their military career, what the military or government will do for those soldiers that are getting back to civilian life? I would think that genetic modifications would be pretty permanent and would the government want genetically enhanced ex-soldiers loose on the population?

The same problem doesn't occur with created soldiers as they would probably treated as equipment and they never get out :P
 
Created soldiers probably would be treated legally as 'Government Property' with few rights (certainly they would be "not-Human"). Thus "getting-out" would not be something to be considered... they could just be "retired".

Unless, "a crack command squad makes it out to the Lunar Underworld—where, if you are desperate and in need of help, you could find them..."
 
Of course, such created, replicated, artificial life forms would be like any other machine. They're either a benefit or a hazard. If they're a benefit it's not my problem.

You can see where I'm going with this, can't you? :)
 
I'd refer you to Blade Runner and its opening crawl:-

"This was not called murder.
"It was called retirement."

In any event, given our tendency to create & then slowly refine a technology, I would say any "augmented" soldiers would have a lifespan of just a few years before unavoidable problems set in... but fortunately the geeks in lab coats will do much better for the next iteration. :(
 
In real life the military command structure tends to be rather resistant to change, and most of the upper brass doesn't like suprises. Initial modifications will probably be just to increase physical fitness etc..

You know the types of guys who hardly work out at all, but still seem to be ripped, or people who have amazingly fast reflexes. Imagine your averge soldier with the abilities of a Parkour athlete, who can run around the battlefield with a 100 lbs of gear without dropping from exhaustion, and remains active and atheletic until they're in their 60's. Look at your average chimpanzee, it weighs about the same as a human, sits around all day long, never works out, yet is more than 3 times stronger than your average human athlete.

Doubling the human lifespan is highly probable within the next few decades. They've already identified some of the genes that control aging. The Human Genome Project was supposed to take 20 years, but was completed in just 3 years. Amazing and terrifying changes are just around the corner.
 
Speculation on Uber Soldiers is justified but what I find more interesting would be modification of humans to withstand different enviornments. We could modify humans for life in zero-g and so have actual Belters which have always been a sci-fi staple.

Mike Cross
Terra/Sol Games
http://terrasolgames.com
 
Environmental adaptations will eventually happen. But there will more immediate demand for physical enhancements for athletes and soldiers (That's where the money for research will come from.).
 
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