However, some researchers are not satisfied with applying these improvements to agricultural animals, Professor Saha cautions.
Some researchers want to advance the human species in novel ways in the future by using genome editing.
According to Professor Saha, “some of the examples that have come up include intelligence, eye color, skin color, and reduced need for sleep.”
Scientists may attempt to give people “enhanced sensory abilities beyond what you would see in the normal population,” he continues.
This could entail providing people with completely new senses, such as the capacity to sense electric fields, or enabling them to access light and sounds that are normally invisible to humans.
The most prudence is required here, and researchers will have to carefully define the types of genome editing that are deemed appropriate.
Professor Saha, for instance, notes that while “the project to live up to 200” is far more controversial, assisting people in maximizing their healthy lifespan is certainly appropriate.
