Questions tagged [genetic-engineering]
For questions about artificially modifying the DNA of a life form.
206
questions
7
votes
3answers
655 views
Ideal large flightless bird(s) for domesticated* cattle [closed]
Ideal large flightless birds for domesticated cattle
So, just to be clear, when I mean "giant birds", I mean the families that presently consist of giant flightless birds (think moas, emus, ...
1
vote
4answers
168 views
How reasonable is my “Chimera Virus”
I have in my series a group called "Chimeras". They were once normal humans but were exposed to an artificial gene-editing retrovirus known as the "chimera virus".
The chimera ...
3
votes
3answers
149 views
Plant used-to-create genetically-engineered floating islands?
I was wondering after considering the trope of floating islands, genetically modified/genetically engineered plants that produce carbon nanotubes, which as a byproduct forming vacuum tubes as they ...
2
votes
1answer
79 views
It would be possible to make a shapeshifting human being with our current technology?
Genetic engineering, nanomachines, holograms, all of those could be considerated some kind of shapeshifting "power", however, it is way far fetched for our today technology (except genetic ...
3
votes
1answer
54 views
What would an erosion resistance ecological system look like?
I was thinking about how given a whole host of sci-fi scenarios, you end up with landmass but no form of geological activity or plate tectonics, and so ensuring you end up with a lot of scenarios ...
4
votes
2answers
151 views
With genetic modification, can we make naturally occurring popcorn?
I thought it would be interesting if someone made naturally occurring popcorn. Like if we made this genetically modified corn reached a certain temperature, the kernels would dry out and explode. but ...
3
votes
2answers
251 views
How would a “perfect” female fighter look like? [closed]
If one could "design" a female fighter, for example, by genetic engineering, what would be the optimal physical conditions? For example, is there a perfect size and weight? Would it really ...
5
votes
1answer
150 views
How strong can a species get with the help of genetic modification?
Basically, I have a species called the Aviares. When they started a colonization effort, they ended up getting stranded in the orbit of an extremely large planet. They ended up genetically modifying ...
4
votes
5answers
194 views
Is it possible for a genetically modified species to have bones made from a non natural material?
Now, let me explain. The context is that I have a species called the Aviares that have very brittle bones, so they can fly. Is it possible for them to be genetically modified to have their bones be ...
4
votes
6answers
304 views
Relative Difficulty in Editing Individual Genes in Adult Humans
Assuming it was possible to genetically engineer / modify an adult human, would certain genes be more difficult to edit than other genes and their associated phenotypes? Would this vary by the method ...
7
votes
8answers
676 views
Genetically modified fast growing Hardwood
In a near future setting (technology has progressed more or less at the current pace) would it be possible to have a genetically modified tree that has both the density and textile strength of ...
3
votes
2answers
257 views
Could you theoretically make a Human-like/Human-descended species breathe chlorine instead of oxygen?
What would be the major problems/issues from switching a Human lifeform from O2-based respiration to a Chlorine one?
Would said lifeform require not only adaptations to the respiratory system, but ...
1
vote
2answers
92 views
Superpowers from a Blood Transfusion
Okay, in a lot of pop culture, blood transfusions can give you superpowers. In Metroid, Samus Aran was given Chozo blood to enhance her strength so that she can survive Zebes' gravity. Zebes having a ...
3
votes
4answers
574 views
Can a virus that causes forced evolution exist?
I recently watched a movie called The Cave. In the movie there's a group of spelunkers that get trapped in the cave with a bunch of blind monsters. towards the end of the movie, we find out that the ...
2
votes
1answer
74 views
Organic prosthetic limbs
I recently saw a video about axolotls, and in the video they say that a limb from axolotl can be placed on another axolotl and it would attach itself. could we genetically engineer limbs like that to ...
-2
votes
3answers
163 views
How could civilization deal with a prion pandemic? [closed]
Prions are misfolded proteins that cause neurodegenerative diseases. They are smaller than viruses and they are the smallest known infectous pathogen. Somehow they could reproduce on their own and the ...
3
votes
3answers
241 views
How can the human body be optimized, yet still be mostly human?
I've been curious for a while now about how much room we have left for evolution as a species, or at the very least, as a people, due to one of my projects involving genetically-engineered superhuman ...
7
votes
3answers
285 views
Protecting Mars with no magnetosphere: Can genetic engineering help?
It is the year something-something, and the Sol system has been colonized. The Sun is surrounded by a growing cloud of habitats, Venus is a veritable garden world, Jupiter is being fed mass from the ...
0
votes
1answer
107 views
What adaptations would humans need to become partially aquatic (like otters, seals, etc.)?
Continuing from this discussion: Why might it be desirable to engineer aquatic humans?
In a society in which humans have been bio-engineered for a partially marine lifestyle (I mentioned otters and ...
3
votes
2answers
421 views
Non-Cancer deadly illness affecting 10-13-yr-old girls, without genetic engineering insta-cure?
Like Non-Cancer terminal illness that can affect young (age 10-13) girls?, I have a major girl that needs to have a likely-terminal, repeatedly hospitalized, disease, but has a healthy sister. And it ...
8
votes
4answers
237 views
How could be a relatively “universal” eye?
In searching of a universal eye, I meant a photoreceptive organ which can have all/most of the best capacities of the known eyes.
So, each type of eye or photoreceptive organ has a different function ...
3
votes
2answers
123 views
Biologically classifying a gene-spliced creature?
In my world, new wildlife and creatures have emerged due to the presence of radiation, genetic engineering, and have lead to new mutants and dangerous beasts stalking the Wastelands.
A scientist in my ...
2
votes
1answer
111 views
What would Martian Life be like? [closed]
Basically what I'm asking is how would hypothetical life be able to survive on Mars? Would they need to be created from scratch in some effort to make life on seemingly uninhabitable worlds or ...
10
votes
1answer
313 views
How to Give An Ordinary Man Vampire Strength
One of the most overlooked traits of vampire biology is superhuman strength. In fact, Dracula himself was described as having the strength of twenty men. Now, this description posed a physical ...
3
votes
1answer
91 views
Strength/muscle mass limit for a human based creature?
So, in my world, I have a species of human-based mutant creatures called "Screamers". Genetically modified Homo Sapiens, these Screamers are one of the most dangerous beasts in the Wasteland....
5
votes
3answers
150 views
Is a genetically enhanced wolf-based creature realistic?
I had an idea for a creature in my world: the enchanced canine.
Basically, they were dogs, mostly German shepherds, that were used by a police organization in the United States. These policemen, ...
3
votes
1answer
132 views
How could you modifying humans to make us resistant to technology addiction?
In a near future-tech scenario, mankind is plagued by rampant technology addiction to the point the point that it begins to threaten the overall stability of society. Tech companies have become more ...
3
votes
2answers
144 views
What would radiation-hardened human colonists look like?
I am designing a future history setting where humans develop the technologies of genetic engineering long before those needed for terraforming, yet at the same time they have access to some form of ...
7
votes
1answer
311 views
Can a Mad Science Experiment Involving Men and Horses REALLY Create a Realistic Centaur?
Lately, I've been looking at Google images of "centaur skeleton", but they don't look that convincing to me. The problem is whether or not the last human lumbar vertebra would be the right ...
4
votes
6answers
1k views
Genetically engineered organisms ideally designed to being cattle?
I have thought of a highly advanced civilization which species are comparably weak but much more intelligent and that is extremely advanced in genetic engineering that they replaced all of their ...
4
votes
3answers
161 views
How to build a star-sized humanoid superorganism? [closed]
For whatever reason, humans in the far future want to build a star-scale humanoid creature. This massive lifeform would completely envelop a star in its chest area, turning the star into its "...
11
votes
7answers
1k views
A human civilization genetically altered themselves to specialize in certain roles, why would it be naturaly undone after said civilization vanishes?
Architects were a rather weird civilization. You see, not only did they create servant races like demi-humans, but had also engineered themselves to be specialized in various areas. Here is the ...
1
vote
0answers
44 views
GM SPORTS: A species designed for playing TENNIS [duplicate]
The year is [Random number between 2100 and 3000]. I own a state-of-the-art GM laboratory with capacities to create any possible species, almost like in Spore Creature Creator. For my own amusement, I ...
4
votes
2answers
87 views
GM SPORTS: A species designed for GOLF
The year is [Random number between 2100 and 3000]. I own a state-of-the-art GM laboratory with capacities to create any possible species, almost like in Spore Creature Creator. For my own amusement, I ...
15
votes
6answers
3k views
Constant acceleration as artificial gravity. Would flipping over halfway still be comfortable?
My question isn't about whether constant acceleration can create artificial gravity, as I know that it can. I am thinking more about worldbuilding in the sense of a practical transportation system ...
3
votes
2answers
67 views
Plant bioforming for use around Jupiter
I'm sketching out a scenario for a relatively far-futuristic story wherein humans have spread throughout the solar system, using the extreme ends of bioforming and gene-splicing to supplement their ...
0
votes
1answer
79 views
Would drugs and 'eugenics' be the key to human offworld survival?
On my book, there are rules that all humans that leave earth or go to a new planet need to have the necessary biological upgrades to survive alien vessels, worlds, and cosmic issues that go hand-in-...
1
vote
1answer
138 views
Is it possible for a godzilla-like creature to be created using genetic modifications? [duplicate]
This 'Godzilla' should be THE godzilla featured in the films Godzilla, and Godzilla, King of The Monsters. Of course, the main issue will be the atomic breath. Is it physically possible, with mastery ...
8
votes
8answers
527 views
What would encourage multiple animal species to evolve human features simultaneously?
The setting is fifty-five million years in the future on Earth, with multiple humanoid species that have different ancestors, but share similar characteristics. Their ancestors would be animals that ...
11
votes
6answers
3k views
Ending “Natural” Reproduction
Quick Overview
Here's the situation: your species, under directive of your friendly world government, has been informed that all "natural" (aka reproducing like your normally would and having a child ...
2
votes
5answers
565 views
Would Simultaneously Hermaphroditic Humans Still be “Men” and “Women”?
When looking exclusively at the muscular and skeletal systems of male and female humans, on average, we'd find what scientists call "sexual dimorphism". Even their voices are sexually dimorphic--...
2
votes
2answers
296 views
What would happen if a black person used genetic modification to turn off the MC1R gene?
The MC1R gene turns pheomelanin into eumelanins but there are another kind of pehomelanin called pheochromes. So if a brunette or black person used a cosmetic gene therapy to turn off this gene how ...
2
votes
1answer
135 views
Can 2019-nCoV be altered to be carried by the wind?
After surveying customers about their new product, 2019-nCoV™, E.V.I.L. Inc. realized that many of them would pay for an upgrade which allows for the virus to be carried by the wind itself in order to ...
6
votes
6answers
312 views
Practical reason for genetically engineering exotic skin colors in humans?
I am trying to come up with a non-aesthetic reason for a group of humans to have been genetically altered to have an exotic skin color. Purple, blue, green, red, I'm not particularly fussed about ...
3
votes
1answer
83 views
A plausable explanation of how life is created with digital DNA
I recently read that not only would a creatures digital DNA need to be stored but its mitochondria and microbiomes DNA needs to be stored.
A previous questions answers mentions epigenetic structures, ...
5
votes
4answers
226 views
Biological Features Necessary for a Humanoid to Have a Much Higher Rate of Reproduction?
So for this question there’s a Mad Scientist/Dark Lord that wants to engineer a race that can out breed mankind and carry him to victory. He has access to sufficiently advanced genetic engineering/...
-3
votes
2answers
123 views
How could 3D Bioprinting and Synthetic Biology be used for reproduction?
I think it will be possible in the far future to take a single person`s cells, genetically enhance and change them using genetic engineering and synthetic biology using new genes, and put it in a 3d ...
5
votes
3answers
399 views
How could genetic engineering be used to create an opposite sex clone?
Do you think it will become possible to create opposite sex clones in the future? A male clone from a woman or a female clone from a man?
I think it will become possible. To create a female clone ...
7
votes
1answer
163 views
Improved lungs?
What needs to be improved or added to the structure (device) of human lungs to be able to filter toxic chemical compounds in the air (for example, in mines the air may contain nitrogen, methane, ...
10
votes
5answers
416 views
How could someone use genetics to place a skin tattoo on their descendants?
Imagine a world quite like our own, except where technology took a different turn. Instead of researching communication, transportation, the cosmos, and the general nature of the universe, scientists ...
