Re: GZGL FH - Genetic engineering.

Beth Fulton <beth.fulton@marine.csiro.au> wrote:
> I've recently finished reading a series of journal articles and
>conference presentations on human germline engineering, which suggest
that
>its going to be all too real within the next 10-20 years...
    The Games Workshop Space Marines are genetically engineered in their
ancient history.

>Would germline engineering be used to increase
>the pool of people who are "different" (as Tom put it) and so can take
>unusual stresses more or less in their stride?
    Determining the characteristics of a mind from a genetic sequence
would
be an extremely hard problem. Determining the physical characteristics
of a
body from the the genetic sequence would be easier.
    Presumably, one could breed submariners together, much like dogs or
cattle, hoping their offspring would be more suited to unusually
stressful
situations. Once you've got a few lineages that seem well suited, you
could
examine the genetic codes and look for the sequences that code for
resistance to stressful situations.
    Of course, to any normal person, the above thoughts can be stomach
churning?

>Maybe such "enhanced"
>individuals would make up the body of troops/crews used in really high
>stress situations and you'd have good old joe bloggs every where else,
or
>maybe the forces we'd see in the field would all be "enhanced"....
    I would think that genetic engineering to increase/decrease size or
agility/dexterity would be possible. As to whether the individuals would
be
suitable for combat operations would be another matter. But, if like the
GW
Space Marines, the genetically altered individuals were brought up in
suitable conditions then that's another matter.

Andrew Martin
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-----Original Message-----
From: Beth Fulton <beth.fulton@marine.csiro.au>
To: FTGZG-L@bolton.ac.uk <FTGZG-L@bolton.ac.uk>
Date: Thursday, 22 October 1998 12:42 PM
Subject: [FT][DS][SG][HIST] Just wondering...

>G'day,
> I've recently finished reading a series of journal articles and
>conference presentations on human germline engineering, which suggest
that
>its going to be all too real within the next 10-20 years. Given the
recent
>discussion on cramming crews into spaceships, and the fact that I
>personally wouldn't relish the thought of being dressed in power armour
and
>dropped from space, I got to wondering about the use of genetic
engineering
>in the forces of the future. Would germline engineering be used to
increase
>the pool of people who are "different" (as Tom put it) and so can take
>unusual stresses more or less in their stride? Maybe such "enhanced"
>individuals would make up the body of troops/crews used in really high
>stress situations and you'd have good old joe bloggs every where else,
or
>maybe the forces we'd see in the field would all be "enhanced"....
>
>Anyway just chewin' the cud.
>
>Happy gaming,
>
>Beth
>
>
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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>Elizabeth Fulton
>c/o CSIRO Division of Marine Research
>GPO Box 1538
>HOBART
>TASMANIA 7001
>AUSTRALIA
>Phone (03) 6232 5018 International +61 3 6232 5018
>Fax (03) 6232 5199 International +61 3 6232 5199
>
>email: beth.fulton@marine.csiro.au
>