Up until recently, the idea that human characteristics could be decided ahead of time was science fiction. Now that DNA is well on its way to being decoded, it may be only a matter of time before humans can be, at least partially, designed. The Human Genome Project is a large-scale effort to decode DNA, that is, to record the entire set of instructions that control the development and design of a human being. DNA determines how a person will look, how healthy or smart he or she will be, and thousands of other traits. Author ...
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Up until recently, the idea that human characteristics could be decided ahead of time was science fiction. Now that DNA is well on its way to being decoded, it may be only a matter of time before humans can be, at least partially, designed. The Human Genome Project is a large-scale effort to decode DNA, that is, to record the entire set of instructions that control the development and design of a human being. DNA determines how a person will look, how healthy or smart he or she will be, and thousands of other traits. Author Kevin Alexander Boon explains the project itself, and explores the social, legal, and ethical issues likely to arise as a result of decoding DNA.
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