DailyDirt: Super-Human Abilities, Not Just For X-Men

Human genetic studies are pointing to more and more interesting information about how our bodies work and develop and ultimately fail. Optimists point to using this knowledge for the improvement of the human condition, but there are some obvious counter-arguments to this viewpoint. So far, though, the technology for genetic therapies or designer babies hasn't been anywhere near perfected, giving us some time to reflect on the possibilities and pitfalls. Unfortunately, our inherent biases in what we're looking at in our genome might prove to be our own undoing.

• Naturally-occurring genetic mutations happen all the time, and some of them could lead to treatments for serious diseases... or better than average abilities. Timothy Dreyer has an unusually high bone density mutation that could help treat osteoporosis, and there are other mutants that could be added to a registered database of mutants (without the help of Professor X). [url]
• Breast size genetics is being studied... to determine if there are any correlations to the incidence of breast cancer. Apparently, at least seven genetic factors are associated with breast size, and three of those are linked to breast cancer. [url]
• People with a condition called aphakia can see in the ultraviolet region of light -- normally invisible to most humans. Most people can distinguish about a million different colors, but others can perceive orders of magnitude more. Certainly, there are limits to human vision, but it's still amazing to think that people can see galaxies millions of light-years away on a clear night with the naked eye. [url]

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