 |
| How are Humans Going to Become Extinct?by Sean Coughlan, BBC NewsApril 25th, 2013Experiments in areas such as synthetic biology, nanotechnology and machine intelligence are hurtling forward into the territory of the unintended and unpredictable.
|
| The Baby Blueprint [VIDEO][With CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]Al Jazeera EnglishApril 22nd, 2013Would you choose your child's genetic potential? Live debate with Marcy Darnovsky, Stuart Newman, Julian Savulescu, and Nita Farahany. |
| Experiments with Inheritable Genetic Modificationby Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesMarch 13th, 2013A developmental biologist looks carefully at research on mitochondria replacement that would be an experimental form of human inheritable genetic modification. |
| GM Babies?by Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesMarch 5th, 2013A debate about genetically engineered babies is hijacked by slick rhetoric.
|
| Meet the New Eugenics, Same as the Old Eugenicsby Gina Maranto, Biopolitical Times guest contributor, Biopolitical TimesMarch 4th, 2013According to a new wave of eugenic advocacy, “we” have a “moral obligation” to enhance future generations.
|
| Mitochondria ReplacementLearn more about controversial research on mitochondria replacement: how it works, where the research is taking place, the social and ethical implications, and how you can get involved in the discussion.
|
| Al Gore: Human Biotech is a “Driver of Global Change”by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 21st, 2013In his recently released best-seller The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change, Al Gore calls for protocols to guide decisions about human genetic modification. |
| Neo Neanderthal[With CGS's Pete Shanks]by Alyona Minkovski, HuffPost LiveJanuary 25th, 2013A leading geneticist at Harvard Medical School says he can clone a Neanderthal and resurrect the extinct species. What are the ethical issues, risks and benefits? |
| Biotech's 10 Biggest PR Disasters of 2012GMWatchDecember 31st, 20122012 was the year the lights came up on the biotech industry. Its claims, its tactics and its products all came under scrutiny and some of its biggest PR fairytales bit the dust. Here are some prime examples. |
| Clones and Cloud Atlasby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesNovember 13th, 2012Of the many characters in Cloud Atlas that explore what it means to be human, the most eloquent is a genetically engineered clone. |
| Of Yeast Genes and Tinker Toysby Abby Lippman, Biopolitical Times guest contributorOctober 31st, 2012A recently published paper sounds a serious warning to those who want to tinker around with human genes.
|
| Genetic Breakthrough at OHSU[With CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by Allison Frost, Oregon Public RadioOctober 29th, 2012Researchers in Oregon have created a viable human embryo by combining genetic material from two women's eggs, raising safety and ethical questions. |
| Advocating Human Germline Interventionsby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 28th, 2012Scientists in Oregon have published a paper that explicitly challenges the legal and procedural system that forbids genetic experiments on future generations, but most reports miss the full implications of the announcement. |
| Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Germline Engineeringby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 16th, 2012Japanese researchers have created mice by using sperm and eggs grown from induced pluripotent stem cells, a development that could bring human germline engineering much closer. |
| Ethics Schmethics Says Ethicistby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJuly 19th, 2012The approach of the Olympics sparks the usual flood of pro-enhancement articles, notably an interview with Julian Savulescu. |
| Designer Babies in Popular Cultureby Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesJune 21st, 2012The Whitest Kids U’Know’s comedic parody of genetic counseling is reminiscent of a similar scene in GATTACA.
|
| Discussing Transhumanism on Al-Jazeeraby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesApril 5th, 2012Al Jazeera, the global TV and multimedia news organization, recently featured a discussion of transhumanism. |
| Worrying New Signs of Interest in Re-engineering Humansby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 23rd, 2012Several academics and defense department employees are actively discussing the idea of engineering people, for warfare, to express social values and even to react to climate change. |
| Eric Lander on Scientific Responsibilityby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 9th, 2012Geneticist Eric Lander was the only scientist of anything like his level of prominence to publicly oppose the researchers campaigning for the development of "designer baby" technology. |
| New Buzz around Biological Hazardsby Emily Beitiks, Biopolical TimesNovember 1st, 2011Recent reports highlight emerging biological engineering risks that might not be all that different from threats of bioterrorism, though the context of development surely differs.
|
| Lab Fight Raises U.S. Security Issuesby Jennifer Gollan, New York TimesOctober 22nd, 2011Biosafety expert Paul Rabinow resigned from the UC Berkeley-led Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center, and asserted that the Center is not doing enough to prevent a biological disaster. |
| Gene therapy and stem cells uniteby James Gallagher, BBC NewsTwo of the holy grails of medicine - stem cell technology and precision gene therapy - have been united for the first time in humans, say scientists.
|
| Set a bug to kill a bugby Marian Turner, Nature NewsAugust 16th, 2011Engineered bacteria that can detect and kill human pathogens could provide a new way to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, although researchers say they won't be injected into people any time soon.
|
| CGS Summary of Public Opinion Pollsby CGS StaffJune 1st, 2011This page offers comparisons of survey results for three technologies: reproductive cloning, research cloning, and inheritable genetic modification. |
| Identical Twins Are Genetically Differentby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesApril 5th, 2011Researchers looking for a genetic basis for schizophrenia report that monozygotic twins, always assumed to be genetically identical, in fact have different DNA. |
| Gene of the Week: Christianityby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesApril 1st, 2011Gay scientists are reported to have isolate the 'Christian gene' and to have successfully removed it from experimental rats. |
| Return of the GenRich?by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 29th, 2009There has been a brief flurry of discussion about future separate species of humans. |
| Monkeys, Mitochondria, and the Human Germline by Jesse Reynolds, Bioethics ForumSeptember 18th, 2009The researchers into radically novel techniques display an alarmingly casual attitude toward risks to the potential children born, the difficulties and dangers of obtaining the large numbers of the required women's eggs, and the potentially dire social consequences of human inheritable genetic modification. |
| Michael Sandel on genetics, morality, and a new politics of the common goodby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 11th, 2009"It is tempting to think that bioengineering our children and ourselves for success in a competitive society is an exercise of freedom. But changing our nature to fit the world, rather than the other way around, is actually the deepest form of disempowerment." |
| New Genetic Therapy [includes audio]by Oregon Public Broadcasting, Think Out LoudSeptember 1st, 2009CGS's Marcy Darnovsky and researcher Shoukhrat Mitolipov debate the implications of a new study about mitochondrial DNA for inheritable genetic modification on this call-in radio show. |
| Other uses for laboratory-produced sperm?by Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJuly 13th, 2009Advances in laboratory-produced sperm--if perfected--could also be used for other purposes, including troubling ones. |
| Modified Marmoset in the Mediaby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 29th, 2009American media coverage of genetically modified primates was remarkably thin, and few articles mentioned social and ethical implications |
| Public interest group urges caution in response to genetically modified primatesCenter for Genetics and Society calls for scientists, policymakers to reject human inheritable genetic modificationMay 27th, 2009The Center for Genetics and Society today said that the creation of a transgenic marmoset underlines the need for scientists and policy makers to reject human inheritable genetic modification. |
| Libertarians Diss Democracyby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesMay 14th, 2009Transhumanists put their disdain for democracy in writing. |
| There's no success like failure ...by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 6th, 2009Another attempt to clone an extinct species has failed, but been widely hailed as a success. Many more have been and are being considered. |
| Appleyard on H+by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 22nd, 2008Brian Appleyard weighs in on "risible" transhumanists. |
| Hank Greely on CGS and Human Genetic Modificationby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 19th, 2008While Stanford bioethicist Hank Greeley denies being "enthusiastic" about human genetic modification, he's certainly opposed to prohibitions on it or on reproductive cloning. |
| Inequality and Human Genetics[Letter to the editor]by Richard Hayes, The New York TimesSeptember 16th, 2008The genetic modification of our children is a practice that conservatives and liberals alike should be able to agree poses far more risks than benefits, and should be taken off the table as an option. |
| All in the Genesby Marcy Darnovsky and Hank Greely, DemocracyAugust 31st, 2008A letter exchange between CGS's Marcy Dranovsky and bioethicist Hank Greely of Stanford University in the Fall 2008 edition of Democracy: A Journal of Ideas. |
| Happy Birthday!by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJuly 25th, 2008Louise Brown's 30th birthday is also the 30th anniversary of the start of the modern assisted reproduction industry. |
| Germline Modification Carries Risk of Major Social Harm
by Marcy Darnovsky, NatureJune 4th, 2008In this letter to the editor, CGS's Darnovsky points out that when discussing the potential to derive gametes from stem cells, we must be willing to draw lines proscribing socially pernicious applications. |
| Center for American Progress on GM Embryosby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 29th, 2008Sirine Shebaya at the Center for American Progress's Science Progress blog commented on the recent disclosure of the first genetically modified human embryos. |
| U.S. Researchers Create Genetically Modified Human EmbryoGenetic CrossroadsMay 14th, 2008A U.S. research group has created what appears to be the world's first genetically modified human embryo, crossing an ethical boundary that until now has been observed by scientists around the world. |
| Media Coverage of Genetically Modified Embryosby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 13th, 2008Here is a roundup of some of the media coverage from the weekend's revelation that scientists have created a genetically modified human embryo. |
| Brave New World Warby Jamie Metzl, DemocracyMarch 21st, 2008Genetic engineering will soon turn science fiction to fact. Here's why we need a new global treaty to control it. |
| Embryos created with DNA from 3 peopleby Maria Cheng, Associated PressFebruary 5th, 2008British scientists say they have created human embryos containing DNA from two women and a man in a procedure that researchers hope might be used one day to produce embryos free of inherited diseases. |
| When You Play With Dirt, You Get Dirty by Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesDecember 13th, 2007Slate’s Will Saletan has backed himself into a corner by coming to the defense of James Watson – the eccentric DNA pioneer who found himself pontificating on how Blacks’ separate evolutionary patterns conferred certain genes that depress their intellects. |
| James Watson Retires After Racial Remarksby Cornelia Dean, New York TimesOctober 25th, 2007James D. Watson, the eminent biologist who ignited an uproar last week with remarks about the intelligence of people of African descent, retired today as chancellor of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island and from its board. |
| Watson's Worldby Jesse ReynoldsOctober 24th, 2007James Watson's worldview is not simply racist; he's promoting full-tilt eugenics. |
| Still Unnoticed: James Watson’s Eugenic EnthusiasmsOctober 22nd, 2007No media accounts so far have cited James Watson's active and explicit support for a new program of eugenics, based not on outmoded scientific theories but on twenty-first century genetic and reproductive technologies. |
| Watson as wake-up call: When genetics endorses a new eugenicsby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesOctober 22nd, 2007Though neither media nor blogosphere have noted it so far, Watson and a small but disturbing number of other prominent figures are actively promoting a renewed program of eugenics - this time using 21st-century reproductive and genetic technologies. |
| James Watson's LegacyReviving Bigotry and Eugenicsby Center for Genetics and Society, Biopolitical TimesOctober 22nd, 2007James Watson on eugenics, genetic modification, race, intelligence, sex, and more |
| Nobel Notions and the Uses of Geneticsby Marcy Darnovsky, AlternetOctober 19th, 2007It's Nobel Prize season, and Nobel scientists are very much in the news. James Watson is currently embroiled in controversy after making a series of blatantly racist remarks. But related views espoused by one of this year's laureates have gone unnoticed. |
| Enhancing the speciesby Anjana Ahuja, The Times (UK)October 10th, 2007Philosopher John Harris argues that we have a moral and ethical duty to improve the human race by biologically enhancing our children. |
| The Nobel Prize and the New Eugenicsby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesOctober 9th, 2007Not mentioned in the award announcement or media coverage of it are new Nobelist Mario Capecchi’s views on the future use of these techniques to produce transgenic human beings. In short, Capecchi is on record embracing the idea. |
| Birth Without the Bother?by Nicholas D. Kristof, New York TimesJuly 23rd, 2007"So where do we regulate and draw the line? My vote is to allow genetic technologies aimed at combating disease or infertility, but to bar any effort that goes beyond the curative to enhance the germ line DNA of our offspring." |
| UK Campaign to Stop Genetically Modified Human Embryosby Marcy Darnovsky, Genetic CrossroadsFebruary 28th, 2007The UK-based Human Genetics Alert (HGA) has launched a campaign to prevent Britain from becoming the first country in the world to sanction the production of genetically modified human embryos. |
| 'Mortal Combat' and Biotechnologyby Parita Shah, Biopolitical TimesNovember 14th, 2006Check out Will Saletan's latest article in Slate, Mortal Combat: The Exploding Politics of Biotechnology. |
| The costly appliance of scienceby Peter Singer, The GuardianSeptember 14th, 2006"The advance of knowledge is often a mixed blessing. Over the past 60 years, nuclear physics has been one obvious example of this truth. Over the next 60 years, genetics may be another. " |
| Transhumanism: Yearning to transcend biologyby Cathy Young, Boston GlobeJuly 10th, 2006"With everything else that's happening in the world today, debates about whether humanity should embrace as yet nonexistent technologies that could enhance our physical and intellectual abilities and someday make us "more than human" may seem frivolous." |
| Among the TranshumanistsCyborgs, self-mutilators, and the future of our raceby William Saletan, SlateJune 4th, 2006William Saletan reports on the Transhumanist conference, "Human Enhancement Technologies," at Stanford University. |
| Stem Cell Cautionby Richard Hayes, Tom PaineMay 24th, 2006"I'm worried because in their over-the-top enthusiasm for stem cell and cloning research, Democrats are ignoring the many ways in which it could, if irresponsibly promoted and inadequately regulated, have consequences at odds with core Democratic values." |
| The World Economic Forum addresses human biotechnologiesGenetic CrossroadsFebruary 23rd, 2006George Annas writes about governing the emerging human biotechnologies in Global Agenda, the official publication of the World Economic Forum. Annas is chair of the Health Law Department at the Boston University School of Public Health and co-founder of Global Lawyers & Physicians. |
| Governing Biotechnologyby George Annas, Global Agenda MagazineFebruary 13th, 2006"Developments in biotechnology have made possible species-changing and even species-endangering procedures, says George Annas. We urgently need a global governance structure to regulate them." |
| Jose Canseco and Human Genetic EngineeringWill He Be Right Again?by Osagie Obasogie, Cincinnati EnquirerOctober 21st, 2005Canseco argued that gene doping "is definitely the next big step in evolution." Genetic enhancement, he said, "goes way beyond sports." |
| Human genetic changes nearerby Fred Reed, Washington TimesFebruary 24th, 2005Sometimes the most important clouds on the technological horizon don't get much ink. One of these is the "genetic engineering" of people, usually suggested as a means of making the species more intelligent. |
| Homo Respect-us: The creature genetic engineers fear most[Quotes CGS's Richard Hayes]by William Saletan, SlateDecember 17th, 2004Slate's William Saletan reports on a meeting to discuss the potential for human inheritable genetic modificiation, at which some scientists and ethicists "flirted" with moving forward, and mocked concerns. |
| Sperm Stem Cells Are Grown Outside Bodyby Nicholas Wade, New York TimesNovember 4th, 2004"In a step that brings closer the possibility of making inheritable genetic changes in humans, scientists have succeeded in growing outside the body the special stem cells that direct the remarkably prolific process of sperm production." |
| Debe prevalecer la bioética en investigación científicaDe lo contrario, estaríamos ante grave peligro, alertanby Soledad Jarquin Edgar, Cimac NoticiasOctober 25th, 2004La bioética debe prevalecer ante el avance de las investigaciones científicas con seres humanos, porque el riesgo es ensanchar aún más las desigualdades entre los pobres y los ricos, coincidieron en señalar investigadoras de Brasil y Estados Unidos. |
| Babies with three parents aheadby Antony Barnett and Robin McKie, The ObserverOctober 17th, 2004UK "Scientists are seeking permission to carry out experiments that would result in children being born with three biological parents." Approval by the HFEA is likely. |
| Discussing the ethics of altering human genesby Charles Burress, San Francisco ChronicleSeptember 30th, 2004At an event sponsored by the UC Berkeley Knight Program in Science and Environmental Journalism, CGS's Marcy Darnovsky and author Bill McKibben spoke to an overflow crowd about the challenges of the new human genetic technologies and California's Prop 71. |
| Rush for designer babiesby Nick Papps, The Sunday Mail (Australia)September 5th, 2004"Hundereds of Australian couples are avoiding the law and buying designer babies in the United States_. While Australian women are selling their eggs for up to $20,000 a 'harvest.'" |
| CGS NEWSGenetic CrossroadsApril 9th, 2004 |
| Posthuman Enough?by Richard B. Norgaard, BioScienceMarch 30th, 2004Will we say "enough" and set up the controls necessary to prevent the transformation of a portion of the human population into superpeople? |
| Happy birthday, LouiseThere's a Line To Be Drawn -- Before we Get to `Enhanced'by Pete Shanks, San Jose Mercury NewsJuly 24th, 2003 |
| The New Eugenicsby Nicholas D. Kristof, New York TimesJuly 4th, 2003One of the most profound and layered questions raised by recent genetic advances is this: Do we as a species still want babies born with genetic disabilities? |
| Ooplasmic TransferMay 30th, 2003Ooplasmic transfer is an experimental fertility technique that involves injecting a small amount of cytoplasm from eggs of fertile women into eggs of women whose fertility is compromised. The modified egg is then fertilized with sperm and implanted in the uterus of the woman attempting to achieve pregnancy. |
| James Watson Wants to Build a Better Humanby Ralph Brave, AlterNet.orgMay 28th, 2003Did you have a nice DNA Day? And how was your Human Genome Month?
If you missed those Congressionally-designated celebrations last month due to minor distractions, like a war or being laid off from your job, don't worry: The media missed the real story anyway. |
| Too Clever Too Fast Too Happyby Bill McKibben, The GuardianMay 3rd, 2003But what if, instead of crudely cheating with hypodermics, we began literally to programme children before they were born to become great athletes?... And as we move into the new world of genetic engineering, we won't simply lose races, we'll lose racing : we'll lose the possibility of the test, the challenge, the celebration that athletics represents. |
| Designer Genesby Bill McKibben, OrionApril 30th, 2003Once you accept the idea that our bodies are essentially plastic, and that it's okay to manipulate that plastic, there's no reason to think that consumers would balk because "genes" were involved instead of, say, "toxins." Especially since genetic engineering would not promote your own vanity, but instead be sold as a boon to your child. The vision of genetic engineers is to do to humans what we have already done to salmon and wheat, pine trees and tomatoes. |
| Germline Warfareby Ralph Brave, The NationApril 7th, 2003Bill McKibben's "Enough" is reviewed by Ralph Brave at The Nation. |
| Human Cloning and Genetic TechnologyThe Global Challenge to Social Justice, Human Rights and the EnvironmentFebruary 25th, 2003The Heinrich Böll Foundation, the Center for Genetics and Society, and the Worldwatch Institute presented a briefing and discussion in Washington. |
| The Weapons of Mass CreationAre we ready for genetically enhanced 'designer people'? If so, who will make the titanic decisions involved?by Caroline S. Wagner, Los Angleles TimesFebruary 13th, 2003 |
| Averting the clone age [PDF]Prospects and perils of human developmental manipulationby Stuart Newman, Journal of Contemporary Health Law and PolicyNovember 30th, 2002 |
| Why Environmentalists Should Be Concernedby Bill McKibben, WorldWatchJune 30th, 2002Humans have dangerously destabilized the Earth's ecological system. If we now begin altering our evolved interdependence with nature, we will only accelerate the destabilization. |
| Towards a Global Bioethic?Prepared for the Franco-German Forum, Federal Foreign Office, Berlin,by Herr Joschka FischerJune 3rd, 2002 |
| The Body Shopby Ralph Brave, The NationApril 22nd, 2002Ralph Brave discusses cloning-based stem cell research and other human biotechnologies in this review of "Our Posthuman Future" by Francis Fukuyama. |
| In Utero Somatic Gene Transfer ProposalsMarch 15th, 2002In 1990 W. French Anderson became the first person to attempt authorized somatic gene transfer experiments on humans. In 1998 he proposed to begin in utero somatic gene transfer experiments and in the process, in his words, "push the envelope" on inheritable genetic modification. |
| Governing the Genomeby Ralph Brave, The NationDecember 10th, 2001Formulating a progressive position on governing the genome--one that defends basic scientific research, prevents the misuse of genetic technology and upholds the right of individuals to genetic justice and genetic privacy--will be difficult. |
| A Real "Brave New World"What Human Genetic Engineers Plan for Your Futureby Mark Gabrish Conlan, Zenger's NewsmagazineJune 27th, 2001Opponents of human genetic engineering spoke forcefully at a workshop at San Diego City College June 24 as part of the Biojustice/Beyond Biodevastation V event. |
| The Case Against Designer BabiesThe Politics of Genetic Enhancementby Marcy Darnovsky, Redesigning Life? The Worldwide Challenge to Genetic Engineering, edited by Brian Tokar, New York: Zed Books, 2001November 30th, 2000 |
| Building Better Humansby Ralph Brave, SalonJune 27th, 2000The sci-fi possibilities of genetic tampering may soon become real. And there's no law against them. |
| SuperhumansLike it or not, in a few short years we'll have the power to control our own evolutionby Robert Taylor, New ScientistOctober 1st, 1998 |
| Designer Peopleby Sally Deneen, E MagazineThe Human Genetic Blueprint Has Been Drafted, Offering Both Perils and Opportunities for the Environment. The Big Question: Are We Changing the Nature of Nature? |
| Protecting the Endangered Human [PDF]Toward an International Treaty Prohibiting Cloning and Inheritable Alterationsby George Annas, Lori Andrews, and Rosario Isasi, American Journal of Law & Medicine, 28 (2002):151-178 |
|
|
 |
Highlighted Topics
