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Chinese Scientists May Soon Be Able To Genetically Engineer Smarter Childre

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By Michelle FlorCruz | March 20 2013 5:47 AM

A company in China is attempting to identify common alleles in the DNA of some of the world’s most intelligent people. If they can be found, the research may let parents select an embryo containing the so-called "most intelligent" DNA, potentially bumping up intelligence by up to 15 IQ points.


bgi-shenzhen.jpg

Vice.com
BGI Shenzhen, the biggest genetics research center in China. Related


According to Vice, the scientists and researchers at BGI Shenzhen have taken on the genetic engineering project and are getting close to figuring out the common allele among the "genius" DNA.

Geoffrey Miller, an evolutionary psychologist, is among the 2,000 luminaries who donated DNA to the science of smart.

In an interview with Vice, Miller explains in more detail what exactly the research may be able to achieve, and why China is far more advanced in genetic research.

Miller says that even if IQ is boosted in one generation by a seemingly small increment, the potential of even more intelligent offspring increases as well and can improve society in all sectors. “Even if it only boosts the average kid by five IQ points, that’s a huge difference in terms of economic productivity, the competitiveness of the country, how many patents they get, how their businesses are run and how innovative their economy is,” he said.

China’s past with eugenics has paved a way for current Chinese geneticists and researchers to be leaders in the field, despite what many perceive as controversial science. Under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s and '80s, managing China’s booming population became a priority. By the time technology allowed for it, prenatal testing and screening for birth defects and gender were common among Chinese parents who only had one chance to have a child because of the one child policy implemented by Deng. And though gender-selecting abortion is illegal in China, this did not stop many parents from killing or abandoning baby girls.

This project, by BGI Shenzhen, Miller said, is rooted in the idea of prenatal screening, but does not cross lines of genetic engineering or adding new genes. “It’s the genes that couples already have,” Miller said, adding that “that kid would belong to that couple as if they had it naturally, but it would be the smartest a couple would be able to produce if they had 100 kids.”

Miller says genetics research is so advanced in China is because of a lack of religious culture that inhibits Western research. “We have ideological biases that say, ‘well, this could be troubling, we shouldn’t be meddling with nature, we shouldn’t be meddling with God.’”

But most Chinese, Miller believes, have no qualms about genetically engineering babies.

“An audience would say, ‘Obviously you should make babies genetically healthier, happier and brighter!’’

Chinese Scientists May Soon Be Able To Genetically Engineer Smarter Children
 
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By Michelle FlorCruz | March 20 2013 5:47 AM

A company in China is attempting to identify common alleles in the DNA of some of the world’s most intelligent people. If they can be found, the research may let parents select an embryo containing the so-called "most intelligent" DNA, potentially bumping up intelligence by up to 15 IQ points.


bgi-shenzhen.jpg

Vice.com
BGI Shenzhen, the biggest genetics research center in China. Related


According to Vice, the scientists and researchers at BGI Shenzhen have taken on the genetic engineering project and are getting close to figuring out the common allele among the "genius" DNA.

Geoffrey Miller, an evolutionary psychologist, is among the 2,000 luminaries who donated DNA to the science of smart.

In an interview with Vice, Miller explains in more detail what exactly the research may be able to achieve, and why China is far more advanced in genetic research.

Miller says that even if IQ is boosted in one generation by a seemingly small increment, the potential of even more intelligent offspring increases as well and can improve society in all sectors. “Even if it only boosts the average kid by five IQ points, that’s a huge difference in terms of economic productivity, the competitiveness of the country, how many patents they get, how their businesses are run and how innovative their economy is,” he said.

China’s past with eugenics has paved a way for current Chinese geneticists and researchers to be leaders in the field, despite what many perceive as controversial science. Under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s and '80s, managing China’s booming population became a priority. By the time technology allowed for it, prenatal testing and screening for birth defects and gender were common among Chinese parents who only had one chance to have a child because of the one child policy implemented by Deng. And though gender-selecting abortion is illegal in China, this did not stop many parents from killing or abandoning baby girls.

This project, by BGI Shenzhen, Miller said, is rooted in the idea of prenatal screening, but does not cross lines of genetic engineering or adding new genes. “It’s the genes that couples already have,” Miller said, adding that “that kid would belong to that couple as if they had it naturally, but it would be the smartest a couple would be able to produce if they had 100 kids.”

Miller says genetics research is so advanced in China is because of a lack of religious culture that inhibits Western research. “We have ideological biases that say, ‘well, this could be troubling, we shouldn’t be meddling with nature, we shouldn’t be meddling with God.’”

But most Chinese, Miller believes, have no qualms about genetically engineering babies.

“An audience would say, ‘Obviously you should make babies genetically healthier, happier and brighter!’’

Chinese Scientists May Soon Be Able To Genetically Engineer Smarter Children

Genius DNA? That's a new one. But there's no point of being super-smart if you don't work hard. A lazy genius child is of no use.

I guess they're gonna modify the "Hard-working" DNA soon enough. :lol:
 
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To be honest, that is not exactly a good thing to even try..

EzioAltaïr;4059492 said:
I guess they're gonna modify the "Hard-working" DNA soon enough. :lol:

Why would any one need to make a "Hard working" and "Super genious" kids? why not create super smart multi tasking Robos?
 
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Great news indeed. We must increase our already high IQ. The general IQ of East Asians is around 105, so if we can get it upto 110 that makes a huge difference. We must breed super kids that are intellectually smart and physically strong. China will become untouchable. I'm all in favour of this. We should pour more money into this field.
 
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Great news indeed. We must increase our already high IQ. The general IQ of East Asians is around 105, so if we can get it upto 110 that makes a huge difference. We must breed super kids that are intellectually smart and physically strong. China will become untouchable. I'm all in favour of this. We should pour more money into this field.

Messing with nature is not good. Not at all. If this turns out to be successful, the natural order could be disturbed.
 
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Some yeah ago i saw a commercial in Germany, i think it's a volkswagen.

It compare and show a very hard working worker and a robot day of work. And it's tag line is, the machince can do everything the worker can, and it will never "Bitxh" about it. And the robot don't go on vacation.

Robot is the way to go, study show the smarter a person, the lazier that person get........lol.....
 
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Not a bad idea to try actually. If China goes ahead with this the entire world will pour money into this field. World will advance at a much faster rate.
 
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Can't say whether this is good or bad.
 
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HATE these kinds news. I have nothing against research and understanding but there are some things better left to GOD. Why can't we just be happy with people the way they are given to us instead of 'engineering' them one way or the other.
 
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I think this is freakin awesome! I can someday chat about astrophysics to the same guy I order my fries from.
 
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Notice how the Indians hate this because its doing 'gods work'. Religious nuts these Indians. Religion is why countries never develop. Religion stops human progress because religion is just made up fantasy stories told by people over the centuries.

Will this procedure work for people like you and Hong Wu or is it too late now??? :lol::lol::lol:
 
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Horrible, horrible. horrible idea.

If you build a product, and it has flaws (which every product does), you can recall it or fix it. How will you fix a faulty child?

We just don't know enough about genetics to go around screwing with our own make up. For the longest time, we thought 90% of DNA was junk; now we know it has uses. We know that many genes work in combination, at multiple levels. What might be the effect of changing one gene without knowing its effect on others?

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing!
 
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:rofl: what did u just say? messing with nature is a bad idea? then as per @Wolfie you are a religion believer nut . religion have made u not to think better and good.

My objection is not because of religious reason, but purely scientific concerns that we do NOT know the consequences of such genetic tampering.

In developing most technologies, it's OK to make mistakes and learn as we go along, but not when you are messing with human beings. The closest analogy to this would be to try some radical medical procedure on a person who is on the death bed. Assuming that the person themselves did not give authorization, the legal guardians would have to give permission.

In this case, a parent is using their own child as a guinea pig, and that's shameful.
 
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Finally A Good News! :tup:

Unlike other in here I welcome the Chinese initiative on Genetic Modification. Leaving all the naysayer talking about "God" & "Moral" Must understand the potential & benefit this technology would bring to the human race.

To quote señor kitty cat:
sciencecat-sciencetime.jpg
 
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