Re: virus: RE: virus-digest V2 #517

Eric Boyd (6ceb3@qlink.queensu.ca)
Wed, 22 Jul 1998 13:31:35 -0400


> I don't think that "building" entire bodies from scratch will
> ever be cheap enough for any but a few select to use that
> technology. And in that case it won't affect our gene pool much.

I think that *growing* a new body won't be terribly difficult -- although
the final stage of moving the developed brain to the new body might prove
beyond the best that medicine can do. I'm just thinking of all those
little nerves that would have to spliced and re-connected -- what a mess!

> I do think, however, that mass-produced colonies of retroviruses
> will be cheap enough to use on most of the population. So we'll
> keep our own bodies and just remove the genes that might kill us
> or disable us, thereby extending our lifespans considerably.
>
> If it's a good idea I don't know.

It's a *dangerous* idea, that's for sure. Another thing, too -- does
anybody know if the body can *retroactively* apply the needed changes?
i.e., once a body has developed, does it even matter if you change the
gene's which coded for it's development? Would the change slowly occur as
the cells die and are replaced? How long would *that* take? (and is it
true that brain cells are never replaced?)

ERiC