Humanize From Discovery Institute's Center on Human Exceptionalism
Category

Genetic Manipulation

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dire wolf standing on snowy land
Image Credit: Anan - Adobe Stock

Dire Wolves Are Still Extinct

The media are such suckers for hyperbolic biotech stories. Colossal Laboratories and Bioscience made headlines for supposedly having genetically engineered a return of dire wolves that disappeared about 12,500 or so years ago, which many stories claimed to now be “de-extinct” after three gene-edited pups were born. Uh, no. The company actually engineered gray wolves to have white fur and (if it works) a larger stature. But despite a similar appearance, gray wolves are not actually close relatives of the extinct species. From the New Scientist story: Grey wolves and dire wolves were thought to be very closely related based on their physical similarities but a 2021 study of ancient DNA revealed that they last shared a common ancestor around Read More ›

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Embryo.
Image Credit: BillionPhotos.com - Adobe Stock

Scientists Are Close to Creating Human Embryos from Stem Cells

The “anything goes” ethical peril in biotechnology is real. The need for a serious discussion about this and other such experiments such as CRISPR germ-line genetic engineering is more urgent than ever. But I suspect the crickets will keep chirping. Read More ›
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Embryos frozen in liquid nitrogen for IVF procedure close up
Image Credit: kuzmichstudio - Adobe Stock

‘Anything Goes’ Reproduction Gathers Steam

Medicine isn’t just about wellness and curing illness anymore. It is also a central resource facilitating lifestyle enablement and the fulfillment of subjective personal desires. Cosmetic surgery — as distinguished from restorative procedures — is an obvious example. Read More ›
man growing up
Man's growing up, kid, boy, guy. concept of human adulthood
Image Credit: Ulia Koltyrina - Adobe Stock

An Example of Ethical Human Genetic Engineering

Our pal Andrew Stuttaford tweeted a story about a CRISPR genetic engineering experiment from the Financial Times. I checked it out, and given the frequent criticisms I have penned here about sometimes out-of-control biotechnological research, I thought it was worth a few moments to illustrate how much of what is being done is perfectly ethical. Read More ›
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New York State Capitol Building, Albany
Image Credit: demerzel21 - Adobe Stock

New York to Stop Funding Embryonic-Stem-Cell Research

Oh, the screaming we heard about embryonic stem cells during the George W. Bush presidency. Those who opposed wide-open federal funding were branded “anti-science,” and delusional for claiming that adult stem cells offered the better promise of treatments. Read More ›
embryos-frozen-in-liquid-nitrogen-for-ivf-procedure-close-up-stockpack-adobe-stock.jpg
Embryos frozen in liquid nitrogen for IVF procedure close up
Image Credit: kuzmichstudio - Adobe Stock

Scientists Make Human-Monkey Hybrid Embryos

They said they wouldn’t do it, but of course they did. Scientists working in China — where else? — have constructed embryos that are part human and part monkey. Read More ›
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A transgender flag being waved at LGBT gay pride march
Image Credit: ink drop - Adobe Stock

‘Very Low’ Evidence for Blocking Puberty of Gender-Dysphoric Children

I am no fan of the United Kingdom’s health advisory board, known as NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). But there is one thing about which you can rest assured. It ain’t a religious fundamentalist organization. Read More ›
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Laboratory test
Image Credit: Sergey Nivens - Adobe Stock

Will Scientists Create a Conscious Human Brain in a Dish?

As society roils with COVID and the election, the biotechnological revolution rushes forward with scientists bound by few enforceable ethical boundaries. Read More ›
Dripping reagent into test tube with liquid sample, closeup. Laboratory analysis
Dripping reagent into test tube with liquid sample, closeup. Laboratory analysis

Ban Germ-Line Genetically Engineered Babies

When a scientist in China proudly announced the birth of the first germ-line genetically engineered babies — meaning the alterations would flow down the generations — there was a firestorm. But notably, despite the screaming and arrest of the scientist by China (as if the authorities in the great tyranny didn’t know what he was up to), nothing was done to legally prevent other researchers from using the CRISPR technique to genetically engineer embryos and/or bring them to birth. Read More ›