I think that the research of genes can be both beneficial to human development but can also be detrimental. For example, the Ted talk specifically talked about very extremes in life- organisms that can live in radiation, sulfuric acids and more significantly, extinctions. With technological advancements, not only are some animals on the brink of extinction saved, but they can also have a few more benefits as well. I can’t help but compare this to GMO (genetically modified organisms). Essentially, certain plants and animals have their DNA changed so that they might have more nutrition than they normally would. Something similar can happen to human beings. If the earth were to be hit with a nuclear warhead, water and land would be riddled with radiation. The current state of human beings can’t really take radiation as shown by the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With biological advancements, we could take the DNA of these Archeas (the ones that allow it to survive radiation) and inject into the DNA sequence of our eggs. What is created is a human that is able to sustain radiation. Of course there might need more tests but it is still possible.
The only downside that I see is that some of these people will have phenotypic differences. GMOs are a foreshadow of this. Some countries have citizens with poor health because their foods are not as nutritious. So biological manipulation of a plant, such as a strawberry, won’t just have potassium and magnesium. With modification, the strawberry might have potassium, magnesium, vitamin D and calcium. Remember, vitamin C and D can help bones but also white blood cells and red blood cells. However, the strawberry might also have a color change. Since vitamins often impose its color on the fruit, adding vitamin C and D might add orange color to it. It might even end up being blue.
