Genetic modifications are the new norm as scientists continue to understand the genome and find ways to alter it. Screening for babies before they are born is now common practice. The age of superhumans is close at hand.
Scientists are now able to alter individual genes of plants, animals and any other biological organism you can think of. One of the biggest developments in this field is a method called CRISPR which scientists can now use to edit DNA allowing them the ability to add or modify specific genes.
In a recent post published by Science Daily entitled 'CRISPR technology used to change flower color,' the author explains how scientists recently achieved a breakthrough performing the first successful application of changing a flower's color.
In a world-first, Japanese scientists have used the revolutionary CRISPR, or CRISPR/Cas9, genome- editing tool to change flower colour in an ornamental plant. Researchers from the University of Tsukuba, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) and Yokohama City University, Japan, altered the flower colour of the traditional Japanese garden plant, Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil or Pharbitis nil), from violet to white, by disrupting a single gene. This research highlights the huge potential of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to the study and manipulation of genes in horticultural plants.
By simply disrupting a single gene scientists were able to change the traditional Japanese flower's blossom from violet to white with a stunningly successful result.
According to this article humanity has found a way to short cut nature and accomplish something that normally takes up to a millenia to complete in under a few hours in a labratory.
The story of the Japanese morning glory started in the 8th century AD, with the introduction of wild blue-flowered plants into Japan from China. In 1631, the first white-flowered Japanese morning glory was painted in Japan. What took nature nearly 850years to achieve has taken less than one using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, indicating both its power and its potential.
In our lifetime will see amazing changes take place in the fields of technology and science. What used to be impossible is now possible. What do you think of this CRISPR technology? Do you think improving the genome of biological organisms is something we should do very cautiously or is it something that should be outlawed completely? Can you imagine a world in which your baby is altered in a test tube to your specifications? Is it crossing the line that nature intended not to be crossed?
Please leave your thoughts, comments and feedback below.
Thanks for reading!
Source:
CRISPR technology used to change flower color - Science Daily
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I think you didn't touch the essence of why CRISPR is so important, why it is a game changer and why no one even talks nowadays about other methods (yes - there exists other methods of genes modifications) - because it is so cheap that even people with very small budget can afford experimenting with modification of genes by themselves.
According to your questions - CRISPR in wrong hands is dangerous. There is unfortunately little or nothing we can do about that. I don't want to even say it loudly, but it could be used to eliminate "silently" particular people, particular groups of people or entire societies. And from the other side it can bring us a cure for every known illness or even lead us to immortality. It has also a potential to swipe all known life on earth, but also a potential to feed growing billions of human or prevent climate changes, reduce pollution or produce free eco energy... and so on, and so on...
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Very intelligent points here. I'm sorry this article didn't go into as much depth as you would have liked it to.
The fact of the matter is that many people have very little if any awareness or knowledge about this subject and it's all brand new to them. I'll follow up with a more in-depth article on the topic and perhaps we can keep this intellectual conversation/discourse going a bit longer ok?
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nice angle you bring here thanx and thanx for the article ;)
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