CRISPR and the Future of Human Evolution

↓↓↓More info and sources below ↓↓↓

In part 4 of our special series on human ancestry and evolution, we look into the future. Now that genetic engineering tools like CRISPR allow us to edit our genes, how will that impact human evolution going forward? Are designer babies or eugenics around the corner? Welcome to a world of nonrandom mutation and unnatural selection.

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REFERENCES:

Jinek, M., Chylinski, K., Fonfara, I., Hauer, M., Doudna, J. A., & Charpentier, E. (2012). A programmable dual-RNA–guided DNA endonuclease in adaptive bacterial immunity. Science, 337(6096), 816-821.

Knoepfler, P. (2015). GMO Sapiens: the life-changing science of designer babies. World Scientific.

Enriquez, J., & Gullans, S. (2015). Evolving Ourselves. Oneworld Publications.

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It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D.
Director: Joe Nicolosi
Writer: Joe Hanson
Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews
Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox

Produced by PBS Digital Studios
Music via APM

[besmart]

Enjoy part 4 of our human ancestry series! Here's a look at the future. Do you think CRISPR will change human evolution?

[Asama]

"I like to order one muscular baby with two blue eyes and blond hair".
Hospitals in the future

[ANMATEK]

There's definitely some top secret humans experiments going in some shady nation, I don't think everybody is passing out on being pioneer.

[amcghie]

I believe this comes to the old analogy "Science provides the keys, but it is humanity that decides what doors to open."
Technologies like these are incredible developments in science, however with these developments they can be both used for morally good and bad things - similar to the development of nuclear technologies 80 years ago. We need to be careful here in how this is used.

[Mangofretchen]

"I'll sell my inventions so that everyone can be superheroes. *Everyone* can be super! And when everyone's super...
[laughs maniacally]
*no one* will be."
-Syndrome

[menohaveaname]

"Dad, I can't believe you didn't give me big eyes and a cute dimples. All the other dads gave their daughters cute dimples..."

[ahmednagy]

I watched already in kurzesgat but I will still watch it in your voice

[KaiserMattTygore]

"It will never ever ever lead to superpowers"

well not with THAT attitude.

[arrghh]

Thank you so much for these. You're sincerely an awesome human being for what you do. It's channels like this that have motivated me, at age 27, to go back to college and actually go for a Microbiology/Molecular Biology major, so I can do my part to help advance things like this. All the kudos to you, sir.

[treyrandolph]

in the immortal words of Dr. Ian: "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should."

[TimwiTerby]

Instead of “unnatural selection”, I feel you should have called it “artificial selection”, which is more to the point. The word “unnatural” has negative connotations and cultural baggage.

[bridgettewalker]

I learned about cut and splice technology in AP bio this year, it was really interesting! It's definitely something cool to read into.

[secondsuccess]

I love the possibilities that this unveils. Curing disease? Curing malignant mutation? All of this is great, I just worry about the eugenic implications of this. Does anybody have any similar ideas?

[Borderlands]

I just want to breath underwater. Give me gills!!!

[superjez]

The question is can CRISPR make crispier chicken skin?

[kestherw]

I found this channel about a week ago and watched several of your videos. Although I do not understand everything I am enjoying learning and watching. Thanks for the videos, keep them coming.

[aditpatel]

We need to make Crispr make trees take in large amounts of carbon dioxide

[Master_Therion]

BUT HEY, IT'S JUST A THEORY, A *GENE* THEORY.

[FZYamaha]

I love how this video gets me excited about the future!

[radio_static]

That designer-baby thing reminded me a lot of the movie Gattaca