Researchers have found a new way of repairing damaged nerve connections in mice. OK, still a long way from human use but never the less still a step forward which will bring hope to millions as well as opening new avenues of research in prosthetics and augmentation.
Now it seems to me that there are several techniques recently that are based on rejuvenation of something or more accurately tricking something into thinking it is part of a baby. I wonder if this could be used as a way to regenerate lost digits by making the stump think it is still in embryonic stage. Taking it further could we regenerate an eye or an inner ear. What about a limb? A kidney or liver would be nice. Think of the millions of lives that would enhance.
It sounds ridiculous imaging a small finger or eye growing whilst attached to a person but I would envisage that there would be advantages in doing that. Sure, it sounds easier to grow a cloned appendage but attaching it later would require linking the nerve cells. Growing a new one would have all that already sorted. More of an issue with eyes and ears than with fingers, appendages and organs. Swings and roundabouts.
Of course if we try and graft on new appendages like a third arm for parcel wrappers or something that will require linking into the nervous system. Will our nervous system be flexible enough to handle that? I think so because we are adaptable but only time will tell.
We could have two hearts installed, two livers. In fact two of everything. It would boost our immune systems. Make us handle accidental poisoning and more robust to accidents overall. In fact when we finally manage to isolate biological functions in other life forms maybe we could add them on to us. Gills anyone? Or knowing our species it would be more like poisoned claws.
In case you are wondering if anyone would get these changes done. Look at this.
Now bearing in mind that all that requires surgery. How many people do you think will do this if it can be done with simple injections and grown in situ? More than I care to think about. It will be the new fashion.
Rejuvenation
Researchers have found a new way of repairing damaged nerve connections in mice. OK, still a long way from human use but never the less still a step forward which will bring hope to millions as well as opening new avenues of research in prosthetics and augmentation.
Now it seems to me that there are several techniques recently that are based on rejuvenation of something or more accurately tricking something into thinking it is part of a baby. I wonder if this could be used as a way to regenerate lost digits by making the stump think it is still in embryonic stage. Taking it further could we regenerate an eye or an inner ear. What about a limb? A kidney or liver would be nice. Think of the millions of lives that would enhance.
It sounds ridiculous imaging a small finger or eye growing whilst attached to a person but I would envisage that there would be advantages in doing that. Sure, it sounds easier to grow a cloned appendage but attaching it later would require linking the nerve cells. Growing a new one would have all that already sorted. More of an issue with eyes and ears than with fingers, appendages and organs. Swings and roundabouts.
Of course if we try and graft on new appendages like a third arm for parcel wrappers or something that will require linking into the nervous system. Will our nervous system be flexible enough to handle that? I think so because we are adaptable but only time will tell.
We could have two hearts installed, two livers. In fact two of everything. It would boost our immune systems. Make us handle accidental poisoning and more robust to accidents overall. In fact when we finally manage to isolate biological functions in other life forms maybe we could add them on to us. Gills anyone? Or knowing our species it would be more like poisoned claws.
In case you are wondering if anyone would get these changes done. Look at this.
Now bearing in mind that all that requires surgery. How many people do you think will do this if it can be done with simple injections and grown in situ? More than I care to think about. It will be the new fashion.