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Pseudogenes – Reliving the Past
Read more: Pseudogenes – Reliving the PastGenetic engineering is often criticised for being a manipulative activity, for interfering with Nature’s ways, and for tampering with our humanity despite being unaware or uncertain of the consequences. Yet there may be one area of genetic tinkering we could pursue that would not necessarily be so questionable, indeterminate, or risky. That is in relation to pseudogenes. Pseudogenes are genes that we once had but are now…
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Nature’s Genetic Arms Race
Read more: Nature’s Genetic Arms RaceIn an environment characterised by change, a species cannot afford to stand still. Genetic lethargy, genetic detachment or genetic derogation risks evolutionary demise. Certainly, in the evolutionary world, nothing good comes out of doing nothing. Evolution is a transitional process. The adoption of individual change drives wider change, environmental change. This spurs further individual change as genes adapt to that changed environment. It’s a perpetuating cycle, designed…
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Society’s Evolutionary Vulnerability
Read more: Society’s Evolutionary VulnerabilitySociety has an intrinsic flaw, a weakness that generates a perilous vulnerability, something that, ultimately, may well threaten humanity’s existence. And although it may sound rather melodramatic, even scaremongering, by observing societal development we can see that there is an evolutionary logic to it. Society was created as our defensive mechanism to protect us from the vagaries and savageries of Nature. By living together, humanity could support…
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Choosing the Right Partner for Successful Reproduction
Read more: Choosing the Right Partner for Successful ReproductionReproduction, the passing on of our genes to another generation, is life’s most important task. As divined by Nature, it is the very purpose of our existence. And yet, all species have limited opportunities for reproduction. An individual has to reach a certain level of maturity; they may have to wait until environmental conditions are amenable to their offspring’s survival, and they will have limited fertility or…
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Genetic Performance and Mutational Opportunity
Read more: Genetic Performance and Mutational OpportunityWhen an opportunity arises, some people will grasp it; many will not believe in or trust their luck, whilst others will sit back and let the opportunity pass or have it taken away from them. Fate may offer new possibilities, but whether those possibilities prove fruitful will depend on the individual. The same may be said for genetic performance. Whenever a genetic mutation occurs, it amounts to…
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Sci-fi Genetics – Correcting the Vision
Read more: Sci-fi Genetics – Correcting the VisionWatching futuristic sci-fi films often proves quite problematic for many of us. A large proportion of the population always seems to be missing. Where are all the ugly, overweight, bespectacled, disabled people? They no longer seem to exist. We can only presume they were transferred into some “Wellsian” underworld. But maybe not; maybe there is a reasonable explanation for this exorcism of large swaths of our existing…
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Genetic Luck – A Favoured Humanity?
Read more: Genetic Luck – A Favoured Humanity?Right here: right now. What are the odds? And why us? It didn’t have to be us. So often – too often – we take our existence for granted. It didn’t have to be like this. We didn’t have to be here; we didn’t have to be here in this state of being. Things could have turned out very differently. In Nature, there are no guarantees or…
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Genetic Intensification – The Drive to Extremes
Read more: Genetic Intensification – The Drive to ExtremesIf something works, then we will persist in doing that something. We may even try to enhance or extend that something. In fact, the more we can do of that something, the better it should be for us. It’s tried and tested. Why would we do anything different? This is not only a natural instinct, but it also explains why, in Nature, when comparing species, there’s so…
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How Humanity is Contracted to Society
Read more: How Humanity is Contracted to SocietyIf we want society to support us, then we have to support society. That is the basis of our contractual relationship with society. Society will look after us, but we must also look after society. Society gives us rights and protections as individuals; support and benefits when we’re in need; a safe, secure Living Environment; and conditions that enable us to develop nourishing relationships with others. Without…