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11/22/2024 02:55:47 am

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Genetic Manipulation: Scientists Fear The Dire Consequence of CRISPR Editing

Genetic Manipulation

(Photo : Pixabay/PublicDomainPictures) A Chinese scientists has vowed to replicate his cutting-edge gene-editing technique after other scientists complained that they have not been able to achieve the same results.

Human knowledge has expanded so much that genetic manipulation had become as easy as editing a document in a computer. Irresponsible study of CRISPRs may bring with it catastrophic implications for humankind.

Chinese scientists shocked the entire scientific and academic community in the world when they tried to manipulate the DNA of a human embryo. The journal containing the ambiguous attempt was released to the world, last April.

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Conservative mainstream scientists have long been having contentions that the human genome was not to be taken lightly. The Nature reported that mainstream scientists showed great concern not only the ethical implication of genetic manipulation but also with regards to its safety.

Genetic manipulation may have proven to be a very effective tool or approach in the development of treatment to a number of human illnesses and diseases. But altering the human genome without even considering the tremendous effect of its consequences might lead to a horrible end.

Along with the recent discovery of CRISPRs or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, genetic manipulation had plunged into just a mere backyard science and this is a grave source of concern.

Altering the human genome used to require sophisticated facilities and cutting edge technologies. Further it entails painstaking years of experience and most of all huge amount of funding. But now, through the discovery of CRISPRs, genetic manipulation has never been as easy. Singularity Hub claimed that an individual only needs approximately $40 dollars in order to set up a gene manipulation campaign.

CRISPRs, according to Singularity Hub, are ancient system elements that serves to protect every single organism in the world - every plant, animal or even the simplest of all life forms. Immunity is the main attribute that can be linked with CRISPRs.

Genetic editing is still a major ethical concern among scientific community and humanity as a whole. It might provide a glimmer of hope to individuals who are suffering from illnesses linked with genetics. But it is also a source of great fear for some who dare not thread into its uncertainty.

The world is clearly not ready for this era. The ethical dilemmas brought about by the issue on genetic editing has not been cleared and even governments have not stepped in on the issue.

With the advent of bio-terrorism, this can be a clear and present danger.

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