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The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds
An argument that we have a moral duty to explore other planets and solar systems--because human life on Earth has an expiration date.
Inevitably, life on Earth will come to an end, whether by climate disaster, cataclysmic war, or the death of the sun in a few billion years. To avoid extinction, we will have to find a new home planet, perhaps even a new solar system, to inhabit. In this provocative and fascinating book, Christopher Mason argues that we have a moral duty to do just that. As the only species aware that life on Earth has an expiration date, we have a responsibility to act as the shepherd of life-forms--not only for our species but for all species on which we depend and for those still to come (by accidental or designed evolution). Mason argues that the same capacity for ingenuity that has enabled us to build rockets and land on other planets can be applied to redesigning biology so that we can sustainably inhabit those planets. And he lays out a 500-year plan for undertaking the massively ambitious project of reengineering human genetics for life on other worlds.
As they are today, our frail human bodies could never survive travel to another habitable planet. Mason describes the toll that long-term space travel took on astronaut Scott Kelly, who returned from a year on the International Space Station with changes to his blood, bones, and genes. Mason proposes a ten-phase, 500-year program that would engineer the genome so that humans can tolerate the extreme environments of outer space--with the ultimate goal of achieving human settlement of new solar systems. He lays out a roadmap of which solar systems to visit first, and merges biotechnology, philosophy, and genetics to offer an unparalleled vision of the universe to come.
Inevitably, life on Earth will come to an end, whether by climate disaster, cataclysmic war, or the death of the sun in a few billion years. To avoid extinction, we will have to find a new home planet, perhaps even a new solar system, to inhabit. In this provocative and fascinating book, Christopher Mason argues that we have a moral duty to do just that. As the only species aware that life on Earth has an expiration date, we have a responsibility to act as the shepherd of life-forms--not only for our species but for all species on which we depend and for those still to come (by accidental or designed evolution). Mason argues that the same capacity for ingenuity that has enabled us to build rockets and land on other planets can be applied to redesigning biology so that we can sustainably inhabit those planets. And he lays out a 500-year plan for undertaking the massively ambitious project of reengineering human genetics for life on other worlds.
As they are today, our frail human bodies could never survive travel to another habitable planet. Mason describes the toll that long-term space travel took on astronaut Scott Kelly, who returned from a year on the International Space Station with changes to his blood, bones, and genes. Mason proposes a ten-phase, 500-year program that would engineer the genome so that humans can tolerate the extreme environments of outer space--with the ultimate goal of achieving human settlement of new solar systems. He lays out a roadmap of which solar systems to visit first, and merges biotechnology, philosophy, and genetics to offer an unparalleled vision of the universe to come.
268 pages, Hardcover
Published April 20, 2021
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February 14, 2021
The Next 500 Years
Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds
by Christopher E. Mason
MIT Press
This book gives the reader an inside look in why we need to think ahead about moving beyond Earth and how to go about it. All of which depends on science, lots and lots of science! It starts with how the human body changes and it's need for protection in space. It reviews the NASA Twin Study with the Kelly brothers which I found fascinating! (I want to read more on them.)
The book also discusses various ways to protect with substances from water bears injected into cells. The CRISPR projects and genome variations are also discussed in depth and in detail. I have a health background and I had to look up a several things to refresh my memory!
The book gives an outline from fairly recent to far reaching goals for humans and animals to survive in the long run. To do this it will need to be started now and biological or genome manipulation will probably be a matter of when and not if.
I found this book fascinating and informative but I wish it was slightly less scientific-speak so more people could enjoy it and learn from it. A layman's term book would probably sell more too!
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read the book!
Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds
by Christopher E. Mason
MIT Press
This book gives the reader an inside look in why we need to think ahead about moving beyond Earth and how to go about it. All of which depends on science, lots and lots of science! It starts with how the human body changes and it's need for protection in space. It reviews the NASA Twin Study with the Kelly brothers which I found fascinating! (I want to read more on them.)
The book also discusses various ways to protect with substances from water bears injected into cells. The CRISPR projects and genome variations are also discussed in depth and in detail. I have a health background and I had to look up a several things to refresh my memory!
The book gives an outline from fairly recent to far reaching goals for humans and animals to survive in the long run. To do this it will need to be started now and biological or genome manipulation will probably be a matter of when and not if.
I found this book fascinating and informative but I wish it was slightly less scientific-speak so more people could enjoy it and learn from it. A layman's term book would probably sell more too!
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read the book!
April 7, 2021
Review/Reseña en Español/English
4.5 ⭐
Español
Alguna vez se han preguntado cómo sería la vida dentro de 100 años o que avances existirán en el futuro, bueno este libro trata de cómo sería crear un plan a largo plazo para adaptar a los seres vivos a condiciones extraterrestres, por esto, el autor nos lleva desde un poco de historia de cómo se fue codificando el genoma hasta llegar a las tecnologías que se tienen hoy en día, con base en esto hace predicciones de cómo avanzará la biotecnología; en la biología molecular y genómica específicamente, así como los cambios e investigaciones que se tendrán que hacer para poder vivir en el espacio sin problema alguno.
El libro parte de unos estudios realizados al Capitán Scott Kelly, un astronauta quien es la persona que ha pasado más tiempo en el espacio. Por obvias razones al llegar a la tierra fue sujeto de diferentes estudios fisiológicos, moleculares y genéticos para corroborar que no tuviera daño alguno, sinceramente los resultados obtenidos fueron muy interesantes debido a que se compararon con los de su hermano gemelo, quien no ha estado en el espacio. Esto nos demostró los cambios que el cuerpo humano puede sufrir al estar expuesto en el espacio a diferentes tipos de radiación, presión y temperaturas.
Estructuralmente el libro se encuentra dividido como si fuera una metodología, es decir, por fases las cuales tienen periodos específicos. Con esto se puede apreciar cómo la humanidad creció desde los 90 's en cuanto a conocimiento se refiere, y como para el año 2500 probablemente seremos capaces de nacer sin enfermedades y vivir en cualquier condición.
El enfoque principal del libro es la biotecnología, donde el autor hace un hincapié en la técnica de CRISPR, presentando su historia, aplicaciones actuales y sus posibles funciones a futuro. A su vez, explica lo que se conoce como ética deontológica, sus principios y cuáles son las razones por las que las personas se pueden oponer socialmente a este tipo de estudios y avances, fue algo filosófico pero esperanzador, personalmente no estoy del todo de acuerdo con esta corriente pero me gusto ver el punto de vista.
Uno de los puntos más importantes que me gustó del libro es que es realista, el autor no plantea su idea de manera ficticia o fantasiosa, de hecho se basa en diferentes investigaciones así como en el conocimiento que se tiene actualmente del genoma humano para postular sus ideas. De igual forma la mayoría de las referencias son recientes, por lo que, la información es más congruente a nuestros tiempos.
Personalmente mis capítulos favoritos fueron las fases cinco y seis, que tienen un enfoque a cómo se desarrollan los organismos en condiciones extremas, las consecuencias que tendrían sobre nosotros las condiciones del espacio u otros planetas, y especialmente cómo podría adaptarse la biología de organismos extremos en dichas condiciones, conocidos como extremófilos.
Para finalizar, recomiendo este libro especialmente a estudiantes de biotecnología, bioquímica e ingeniería genética, el libro es bastante específico pero explica conceptos de manera clara que no es necesario tener un amplio conocimiento de los temas discutidos.
¿Es este libro para ti?
Perfecto para: estudiantes de biotecnología, interesados en la ciencia y biología molecular.
¿Lo recomiendo? Si.
English
Have you ever wondered what life would be like in 100 years or what advances will exist in the future, well this book is about what it would be like to create a long-term plan to adapt living beings to extraterrestrial conditions, for this reason, the author tells us a little history of how the genome was codified to the technologies that we have today, based on this, it makes predictions of how biotechnology will advance; in molecular biology and genomics specifically, as well as the changes and research that will have to be done to be able to live in space without any problem.
The book is based on studies carried out on Captain Scott Kelly, an astronaut who has spent the most time in space. For obvious reasons when he arrived on earth, he was subjected to different physiological, molecular, and genetic studies to confirm that he had no damage, honestly, the results obtained were very interesting because they were compared with those of his twin brother, who has not been in space. This showed us the changes that the human body can undergo when exposed in space to different types of radiation, pressure, and temperatures.
Structurally, the book is divided as if it were a methodology, that is, by phases that have specific periods. With this, you can see how humanity grew since the '90s in terms of knowledge, and how by the year 2500 we will probably be able to be born without diseases and live in any condition.
The main focus of the book is biotechnology, where the author emphasizes the CRISPR technique, presenting its history, current applications, and possible future functions. In turn, it explains what is known as deontogenic ethics, its principles and what are the reasons why people can be socially opposed to this type of studies and advances, it was something philosophical but hopeful, personally, I don’t entirely agree with this but I liked to see this point of view.
One of the most important points that I liked about the book is that it’s realistic, the author doesn’t base his idea in a fictitious or fanciful way, in fact, he’s based on different investigations as well as on the knowledge that we currently have of the human genome to postulate his ideas. In the same way, most of the references are recent, so the information is more consistent with our times.
My personal favorite chapters were phases five and six, which focus on how organisms develop under extreme conditions, the consequences that conditions in space or other planets would have on us, and especially how the biology of extreme organisms might adapt to these conditions, known as extremophiles.
Finally, I recommend this book especially to students of biotechnology, biochemistry, and genetic engineering, the book is quite specific but it explains concepts in a clear way that it’s not necessary to have a broad knowledge of the topics discussed.
Can a scientist actually engineer something and predict what happens? That is the best test of knowledge.
Is this book for you?
Perfect for: biotechnology students, interested in science, and molecular biology.
Do I recommend it? Yes.
My thanks to the author Christopher E. Mason, MIT Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to get this ARC for an unbiased review.
Read
May 16, 2021This book is no doubt promising, tells about possibility and huge scope of genetic engineering . It can no doubt transform the way we live in next decades and century to come.
but it is too technical, for general readers it won't be smooth sailing.
Leaving it midway.
but it is too technical, for general readers it won't be smooth sailing.
Leaving it midway.
May 29, 2021
The premise for the book is that we could go extinct someday but, unlike all other species, we have the capability to anticipate the possibility and to do something about it. Then he proposes a 500-year plan to use and anticipate the advances in biology to take control of our own physical evolution. It is our duty to our species to survive!
That’s the premise. I don’t buy the “duty to our species to survive” or the desirability to modify ourselves to become radiation resistant blobs that can colonize distant planets. I’d like to think about it. And I guess that is a main point of the book.
As an aside, I am a biologist and I recall my professor, Ledyard Stebbins (Author of The Basis of a Progressive Evolution) argued that physical evolution may have stopped for people because of advances in technology; for example, genetic impairment causing bad vision were not subject to natural selection because optometrists could fix vision with eyeglasses. We have a society and a technology that renders such differences to be interesting variation and not disabilities. and this is why the people in Star Trek and Star Wars movies are not visibly different from our current form. --- That is one argument.
Duty issue aside, this is clearly the stuff of science fiction. But then, the role of science fiction is also to anticipate what the future might look like. I recall reading of future humans adapted to space travel and unhindered by the appendages necessary for walking, climbing trees, etc. In this book, the author takes so many of those strategies explored in science fiction stories and novels and discusses the current science making those strategies possible. To some extent, this is an applause for past science fiction writers and a manual for future writers.
He is accurate. In the last 20 years we have sequenced the human genome and it is even becoming a common clinical tool. Our scientists have begun to find ways to discretely modify DNA and have used the technology to improve crops and correct diseases. We are discovering genes and biological capabilities in many species that have unique abilities to tolerate radiation, altitude, heat, desiccation, and more. These genes and these capabilities could prove to be beneficial as our planet changes or as we move into space. He discusses how colonization might take place for new planets and what might be done to overcome the vast distances for space travel. As of yet, there is no tesserac or warpdrive.
The great value of the book, in my opinion, is a “Gee whiz” aspect. The author does a nice job picking up key points and observations over a very wide range including advances in medicine, space travel, physiology and agriculture. He does a good job describing the hopes, failures and successes for treating hereditary diseases using gene modification. Gene editing is still pretty sketchy. However, the technology is evolving rapidly, and we can anticipate having something much better than “survival of the fittest” for making changes to our genomes. Playing God may not be cool but “survival of the fittest” is a pretty brutal social construct. --- But then again, Stebbins suggested we may have evolved beyond survival of the fittest.
All that being said, I didn’t find it that interesting. It felt a bit like de-bunking science fiction. Where’s the fun in that? Bigger questions are the consequences of this gene editin. We are discovering that genes are pleiotropic. That is a $5 word meaning that a gene can have multiple effects. For example, the gene for red hair also confers increased sensitivity to pain and some drugs. I don’t know why that would be. Red hair is caused by a variant in the gene MC1R that binds a hormone, melanotropin and sets off a biochemical pathway leading to the conversion of red pigment to black pigment. The variant for red hair does not allow the binding to occur. The receptor, MC1R, has other roles in other cells. There are many biochemical pathways that are affected. Changing this gene so that an individual has red hair has other consequences. We are at the beginning of understanding these changes. --- IMO it is appropriate to apply gene editing technology to relieve suffering, just as we provide eye-glasses to those with myopia. Curing severe combined immunodeficiency disease, hemophilia and other nasty diseases will be wonderful. None of my kids were born with these diseases and I would have done anything to make them better! Scientists are proceeding cautiously, making sure that genetic modifications to correct diseases do not appear in the sex cells and will not be passed on to the next generation. Only the patient is affected but their own children will still be at risk. (There was a famous exception to this rule in China, two years ago, but the up-roar should have made it clear that this was not appropriate.) Even so, one day, we may find it beneficial to make germline changes in the genome. Imagine making a genetic modification that prevented us from contracting influenza or other infectious diseases? Infectious diseases are species specific so there will be genetic modifications that could render us unsusceptible. That might be better than having to make, modify and deliver vaccines on an annual basis… I don’t know. We should talk about it. And perhaps take each case on an individual basis. Some edits might be biochemically limited consequences. IMO, these are more immediate and more interesting questions to address than preparing for space travel.
Still, these are fun thought exercises and the stuff of science fiction.
That’s the premise. I don’t buy the “duty to our species to survive” or the desirability to modify ourselves to become radiation resistant blobs that can colonize distant planets. I’d like to think about it. And I guess that is a main point of the book.
As an aside, I am a biologist and I recall my professor, Ledyard Stebbins (Author of The Basis of a Progressive Evolution) argued that physical evolution may have stopped for people because of advances in technology; for example, genetic impairment causing bad vision were not subject to natural selection because optometrists could fix vision with eyeglasses. We have a society and a technology that renders such differences to be interesting variation and not disabilities. and this is why the people in Star Trek and Star Wars movies are not visibly different from our current form. --- That is one argument.
Duty issue aside, this is clearly the stuff of science fiction. But then, the role of science fiction is also to anticipate what the future might look like. I recall reading of future humans adapted to space travel and unhindered by the appendages necessary for walking, climbing trees, etc. In this book, the author takes so many of those strategies explored in science fiction stories and novels and discusses the current science making those strategies possible. To some extent, this is an applause for past science fiction writers and a manual for future writers.
He is accurate. In the last 20 years we have sequenced the human genome and it is even becoming a common clinical tool. Our scientists have begun to find ways to discretely modify DNA and have used the technology to improve crops and correct diseases. We are discovering genes and biological capabilities in many species that have unique abilities to tolerate radiation, altitude, heat, desiccation, and more. These genes and these capabilities could prove to be beneficial as our planet changes or as we move into space. He discusses how colonization might take place for new planets and what might be done to overcome the vast distances for space travel. As of yet, there is no tesserac or warpdrive.
The great value of the book, in my opinion, is a “Gee whiz” aspect. The author does a nice job picking up key points and observations over a very wide range including advances in medicine, space travel, physiology and agriculture. He does a good job describing the hopes, failures and successes for treating hereditary diseases using gene modification. Gene editing is still pretty sketchy. However, the technology is evolving rapidly, and we can anticipate having something much better than “survival of the fittest” for making changes to our genomes. Playing God may not be cool but “survival of the fittest” is a pretty brutal social construct. --- But then again, Stebbins suggested we may have evolved beyond survival of the fittest.
All that being said, I didn’t find it that interesting. It felt a bit like de-bunking science fiction. Where’s the fun in that? Bigger questions are the consequences of this gene editin. We are discovering that genes are pleiotropic. That is a $5 word meaning that a gene can have multiple effects. For example, the gene for red hair also confers increased sensitivity to pain and some drugs. I don’t know why that would be. Red hair is caused by a variant in the gene MC1R that binds a hormone, melanotropin and sets off a biochemical pathway leading to the conversion of red pigment to black pigment. The variant for red hair does not allow the binding to occur. The receptor, MC1R, has other roles in other cells. There are many biochemical pathways that are affected. Changing this gene so that an individual has red hair has other consequences. We are at the beginning of understanding these changes. --- IMO it is appropriate to apply gene editing technology to relieve suffering, just as we provide eye-glasses to those with myopia. Curing severe combined immunodeficiency disease, hemophilia and other nasty diseases will be wonderful. None of my kids were born with these diseases and I would have done anything to make them better! Scientists are proceeding cautiously, making sure that genetic modifications to correct diseases do not appear in the sex cells and will not be passed on to the next generation. Only the patient is affected but their own children will still be at risk. (There was a famous exception to this rule in China, two years ago, but the up-roar should have made it clear that this was not appropriate.) Even so, one day, we may find it beneficial to make germline changes in the genome. Imagine making a genetic modification that prevented us from contracting influenza or other infectious diseases? Infectious diseases are species specific so there will be genetic modifications that could render us unsusceptible. That might be better than having to make, modify and deliver vaccines on an annual basis… I don’t know. We should talk about it. And perhaps take each case on an individual basis. Some edits might be biochemically limited consequences. IMO, these are more immediate and more interesting questions to address than preparing for space travel.
Still, these are fun thought exercises and the stuff of science fiction.
June 17, 2021
Interesting ideas but difficult to read
Very technical, and if you think the government is into acronyms, try reading this book. Biologists have cornered the acronym market. Also, there were several typos, at least in the E-book version. There were missing prepositions, articles and verbs, for example, and even a few misspelled words. If you like complex mathematical formulas and acronyms you'll never remember, this is your book.
Very technical, and if you think the government is into acronyms, try reading this book. Biologists have cornered the acronym market. Also, there were several typos, at least in the E-book version. There were missing prepositions, articles and verbs, for example, and even a few misspelled words. If you like complex mathematical formulas and acronyms you'll never remember, this is your book.
July 8, 2022
The next 500 years paints a picture of a future of near infinite potential.
An aw inspiring review of the past and current state of genetics research, and an optimistic outlook on the future of gene research, gene editing, human reproduction and space travel.
Extremely technical at times but overall, I am happy to have read the book
An aw inspiring review of the past and current state of genetics research, and an optimistic outlook on the future of gene research, gene editing, human reproduction and space travel.
Extremely technical at times but overall, I am happy to have read the book
September 24, 2022
Though this book may be a little too technical at times for most audiences, I felt that it offered a refreshingly hopeful take on the fate of humanity and our place in the universe in the next few centuries. I strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in a thought-provoking read.
May 19, 2021
Another small mind churning its small thoughts. It is so amusing to read this sort of prophetic books a few decades later. Back at the beginning of the 20th century they were wearing the same ridiculous dresses and hats but each had their backpack chopper. In the 1970s that was an idiotic fantasy.
November 5, 2021
I found a new research mentor because of this book.
January 19, 2025
Why instead of dreaming to modify us to live on Mars, don't we take care of the wonderful world that we live in, that voracious capitalism is destroying?
Any ethical considerations will stop when Capitalism can easily profit from genetic engineering, which happened with any of the 5 veins of capitalism.
The opioid crisis is the perfect example of ethical violations from voracious capitalism. Any ethical rule has been violated just to get a buck.
The use of genetic-enhancement technologies would be another dangerous behavior encouraged by capitalism.
What terrifies me is not that it would be possible to genetically modify us, but the uses that voracious predatory capitalism would do with that.
If production in bioreactors or production in vertical gardens is so efficient, why do the ultra-rich and far-right continue to buy land and destroy original forests?
Many of his speculations from 2300 and beyond are better dealt with in Sci-Fi books, the fact that he added pseudo-science yabadaba doesn't add a dim. In one paragraph he used the word engineering 5 times, didn’t anyone say that repeating the some world engineering is not a good practice, and just to explain that cells can be suited to purpose?
Thinking that we, or any other living being, could survive for a billion years after what predatory voracious capitalism is doing now is laughable.
This book I put this in the same category as Interstellar: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars by Avi Loeb, BS books.
I found at least three monumental scientific errors:
- [Talking about ISS Astronauts] He also was traveling closer to the speed of light.---> This is technologically impossible now, it was a mere 0.002 %, the wording is wrong.
- The lack of gravity in space, on the ISS,---> Gravity on ISS is around 90%, that's a severe conceptual error.
- Gravity and life are the only two forces of the universe that continually combat this entropy.---> That's a monumental conceptual error. While gravity and life can influence local decreases in entropy, they do not combat entropy in a way that contradicts the second law of thermodynamics. The universe as a whole is subject to the inevitable increase of entropy.
Other comments to citations:
- This opens a new era of completely free cellular, reproductive, and parental liberty created by biological engineering. ---> Not an era…a new market for voracious predatory capitalism.
- Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jewish communities. These religious groups (and especially Orthodox Jews) usually marry and have children only within their religion. Because of this selectivity, there has been a historically high rate of several genetic disorders, including Tay-Sachs disease, which is both painful and fatal. ----> Now I understand all the hate and destruction to Palestine, they are mentally challenging, and they are born with mental disability. Then they develop a kit, to be sold, always these people profiting from everything, what garbage.
It seems like a book written to suit someone's agenda, full of unsupported statements. Another book was paid for using the supposed prestige of the researcher to support the cause of predatory capitalism. This time, it focuses on genetic modifications to go live on Mars. He fills it with many yabadaba pretending to have some scientific basis, but it's nothing more than the usual BS.
Any ethical considerations will stop when Capitalism can easily profit from genetic engineering, which happened with any of the 5 veins of capitalism.
The opioid crisis is the perfect example of ethical violations from voracious capitalism. Any ethical rule has been violated just to get a buck.
The use of genetic-enhancement technologies would be another dangerous behavior encouraged by capitalism.
What terrifies me is not that it would be possible to genetically modify us, but the uses that voracious predatory capitalism would do with that.
If production in bioreactors or production in vertical gardens is so efficient, why do the ultra-rich and far-right continue to buy land and destroy original forests?
Many of his speculations from 2300 and beyond are better dealt with in Sci-Fi books, the fact that he added pseudo-science yabadaba doesn't add a dim. In one paragraph he used the word engineering 5 times, didn’t anyone say that repeating the some world engineering is not a good practice, and just to explain that cells can be suited to purpose?
Thinking that we, or any other living being, could survive for a billion years after what predatory voracious capitalism is doing now is laughable.
This book I put this in the same category as Interstellar: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars by Avi Loeb, BS books.
I found at least three monumental scientific errors:
- [Talking about ISS Astronauts] He also was traveling closer to the speed of light.---> This is technologically impossible now, it was a mere 0.002 %, the wording is wrong.
- The lack of gravity in space, on the ISS,---> Gravity on ISS is around 90%, that's a severe conceptual error.
- Gravity and life are the only two forces of the universe that continually combat this entropy.---> That's a monumental conceptual error. While gravity and life can influence local decreases in entropy, they do not combat entropy in a way that contradicts the second law of thermodynamics. The universe as a whole is subject to the inevitable increase of entropy.
Other comments to citations:
- This opens a new era of completely free cellular, reproductive, and parental liberty created by biological engineering. ---> Not an era…a new market for voracious predatory capitalism.
- Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jewish communities. These religious groups (and especially Orthodox Jews) usually marry and have children only within their religion. Because of this selectivity, there has been a historically high rate of several genetic disorders, including Tay-Sachs disease, which is both painful and fatal. ----> Now I understand all the hate and destruction to Palestine, they are mentally challenging, and they are born with mental disability. Then they develop a kit, to be sold, always these people profiting from everything, what garbage.
It seems like a book written to suit someone's agenda, full of unsupported statements. Another book was paid for using the supposed prestige of the researcher to support the cause of predatory capitalism. This time, it focuses on genetic modifications to go live on Mars. He fills it with many yabadaba pretending to have some scientific basis, but it's nothing more than the usual BS.
Read
May 26, 2022Scott Kelly, who had completed the longest-ever NASA mission in space—almost a complete year (340 consecutive days).
Strangely, Scott’s telomeres got longer when he was in space, which is the opposite of what we expected.
He gained two inches in height during the mission.
“Is space the fountain of youth? Can you get taller and younger if you go to space?” Sort of.
hypercapnia, which is a condition of too much carbon dioxide in the blood and where one can start to feel light-headed and develop a headache;
lack of compression on his spinal column, and his newfound height disappeared within a few hours of returning to Earth. Also, within forty-eight hours, Scott’s telomeres had returned to normal length
One of my favorite things about humanity is that we are the only species we know of that can actually create 5-, 500-, or 5,000-year plans, or comprehend any multigenerational plan.
Kant’s “categorical imperative” asked people to think, before taking any action, “What if everyone did this? What if my action were suddenly a maxim for everyone? What would the world look like?”
Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, who aimed for “the greatest good for the greatest number.” utilitarian frameworks
When one starts to question the reasoning behind the origin of the present notion of the gene (held by most geneticists) the opportunity for questioning its validity becomes apparent. —Barbara McClintock
While the human genome may seem large at ~3.1 gigabases (3.1 billion bases), it is actually not the largest one. Most plants have far larger genomes (10–30 gigabases), and the largest known genome is in the euglena, which has 120 gigabases.
“one gene—many functions” principle is called pleiotropy.
a protein that can serve as an enzyme for one chemical reaction can serve as scaffolding for another purpose inside a cell; the same gene that controls insulin metabolism (PI3K) can also be critical in a cell’s response to chemotherapy and whether or not cancer becomes metastatic.
“personalized medicine” have become common at hospitals and medical centers around the world, with the goal to deliver the right treatment, to the right patient, at the right dose, and at the right time. Precision medicine
future astronauts will be more self-reliant, a crucial requirement if you are stuck on another planet. If they are faced with unknown or challenging medical problems, such as an antibiotic-resistant microbe, they can sequence it and tell precisely what organism it is, and also find the best potential course of action.
including early pan-cancer detection cfDNA tests (such as ones from GRAIL) as well as ones from stool specifically to identify colon cancer (e.g., the Cologuard screening test from Exact Sciences).
Strangely, Scott’s telomeres got longer when he was in space, which is the opposite of what we expected.
He gained two inches in height during the mission.
“Is space the fountain of youth? Can you get taller and younger if you go to space?” Sort of.
hypercapnia, which is a condition of too much carbon dioxide in the blood and where one can start to feel light-headed and develop a headache;
lack of compression on his spinal column, and his newfound height disappeared within a few hours of returning to Earth. Also, within forty-eight hours, Scott’s telomeres had returned to normal length
One of my favorite things about humanity is that we are the only species we know of that can actually create 5-, 500-, or 5,000-year plans, or comprehend any multigenerational plan.
Kant’s “categorical imperative” asked people to think, before taking any action, “What if everyone did this? What if my action were suddenly a maxim for everyone? What would the world look like?”
Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, who aimed for “the greatest good for the greatest number.” utilitarian frameworks
When one starts to question the reasoning behind the origin of the present notion of the gene (held by most geneticists) the opportunity for questioning its validity becomes apparent. —Barbara McClintock
While the human genome may seem large at ~3.1 gigabases (3.1 billion bases), it is actually not the largest one. Most plants have far larger genomes (10–30 gigabases), and the largest known genome is in the euglena, which has 120 gigabases.
“one gene—many functions” principle is called pleiotropy.
a protein that can serve as an enzyme for one chemical reaction can serve as scaffolding for another purpose inside a cell; the same gene that controls insulin metabolism (PI3K) can also be critical in a cell’s response to chemotherapy and whether or not cancer becomes metastatic.
“personalized medicine” have become common at hospitals and medical centers around the world, with the goal to deliver the right treatment, to the right patient, at the right dose, and at the right time. Precision medicine
future astronauts will be more self-reliant, a crucial requirement if you are stuck on another planet. If they are faced with unknown or challenging medical problems, such as an antibiotic-resistant microbe, they can sequence it and tell precisely what organism it is, and also find the best potential course of action.
including early pan-cancer detection cfDNA tests (such as ones from GRAIL) as well as ones from stool specifically to identify colon cancer (e.g., the Cologuard screening test from Exact Sciences).
January 31, 2021
The Next 500 Years
Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds
By Christopher E. Mason
Summary:
This book is a comprehensive account of the latest cutting-edge bioengineering feats to conduct successful long-term space exploration and settlements written by a computational biologist and a geneticist who has worked on several NASA projects. The author takes us on a journey spanning the next 500 years, diving the centuries in neat chronological chapters, and describing preliminary biotechnological aids for astronauts to planning long voyages to distant planetary systems and ultimate settlement of the human population.
Detail Review:
Prof. Mason introduces the reader with the argument that the human race is the only species equipped to prevent its extinction and transport lifeforms to other planets. The Sun will run out of fuel eventually and consuming all organic life along with it. As the sentient species acutely aware of its mortality, it makes us morally bound to use our ingenuity and creativity to prevent this. This might be a little hard to comprehend since most humans have a myopic view of mortal life and interstellar travel to save our species doesn't have a place in our immediate priorities. Here the readers have to bite the philosophical nugget of "deontogenic" ethics whose premise states that "existence precedes essence". For any sentient life to flourish and produce science, technology, and the arts it has to overcome the extinction threat, plunge into new worlds, and exist. This section is a commendable exploration (and a treat for philosophy nerds) of the 'why' in space exploration and why investments must continue despite our planet ridden with existing perils of pandemics, climate change, overpopulation, etc.
In the next couple of chapters, we see the present advancements in human genome sequencing and the vast collection of genome sequences of all complex life systems on Earth which is the first step in molecular and genetic intervention required in future space missions. We are introduced to Captain Scott Kelly, the astronaut who completed the longest NASA mission in space and was a part of NASA Twins Study. The study compared his genetic, physiological, molecular, and epigenetic changes with his twin brother back on Earth. To everyone's surprise, Scott's immune system after coming back to Earth surpassed all levels. His immune system was on an overdrive only seen in patients with compromised immune systems. Not only this but his gene expression profile showed significant changes resulting from space radiation. This adds to the list of problems our astronauts going to Mars or Titan will face when their DNA changes with space travel. I read this fascinating detail that breathing in zero gravity isn't the same as back on Earth. Tiny clouds of carbon dioxide form in front of your mouth when you exhale. Such observations currently show how the human body is affected by space travel and that we have so much to learn before we embark on audacious space voyages.
Now we enter the exciting history and potential of CRISPR methods in gene editing and gene therapy. The next few decades will see advances in using these methods in tweaking genetic framework to combat and endure long-term space travel, radiation damage, and improve human physiological responses. Here the author deftly portrays that despite the exhilarating present advances, it will be a long journey until we successfully move from animal studies to 'CRISPR-ing' mutations out in human trials. But the clues to clever genome manipulation are present in nature itself. For years scientists have looked towards various organisms to incorporate their advantageous traits and manipulate them for human usage. For example, tardigrades, also called water bears (they look delightful under powerful microscopes) express an interesting protein called Dsup which protects their DNA. Work from the author's own lab showed that incorporation of this Dsup leads to 80% increase in reducing DNA damage. Such gene modification techniques will be crucial in protecting future space travellers in the next 100 years. This section is the most challenging in the whole book as it deals with in-depth molecular and cellular biology concepts.
In the future when Mars has permanent human settlements and genetic manipulation becomes commonplace (even recreational like ordering your choice of genes from a bar), organisms might even comprise of hybrid cells moving to the next phase which the author calls 'cellular liberty'. I would be remiss if I don't talk about my favourite example from this later half of the book. A green sea-slug called Elysia chlorotica eats chloroplast-containing algae (using molecular straws of course!) and becomes plantlike. Maybe future humans will have self-sufficient food-producing green tissues incorporated in them and cross another milestone in directed evolution. Who said green Martians are just stuff of science fiction?
Equipped with such advanced bioengineering technologies the author postulates that by 2351 we will be on the precipice of launching generation ships to candidate planets in different solar systems. The final phase of the sustainable existence of humans anywhere in the universe will encompass hybrid organismal systems (both human and non-human) evolving along with side physical and geochemical characteristics of other planets and satellites.
This work is a must-have for anyone interested in the latest space sciences. I was left wanting a bit more about the studies on human psychology during space travel, the effect on our cognitive abilities, sleep cycle, and circadian rhythms. But this is me being an ardent fan of Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" Nevertheless, it provides an excellent collection and roadmap of everything we need to chart outer planets.
Who will love this book:
The book leaves us with glimpses of worlds imagined in the works by Kim Stanley Robinson and Neal Stephenson, fictional, and yet after reading this book don't look so far-fetched at all. A delight for space enthusiasts, astronauts, physicists, geologists, biologists, science nerds, speculative fiction readers, and all science fiction readers. The book does require a medium-paced reading as it is packed with findings and might require trips to browsers for more detailed explanations about genetic engineering topics.
Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds
By Christopher E. Mason
Summary:
This book is a comprehensive account of the latest cutting-edge bioengineering feats to conduct successful long-term space exploration and settlements written by a computational biologist and a geneticist who has worked on several NASA projects. The author takes us on a journey spanning the next 500 years, diving the centuries in neat chronological chapters, and describing preliminary biotechnological aids for astronauts to planning long voyages to distant planetary systems and ultimate settlement of the human population.
Detail Review:
Prof. Mason introduces the reader with the argument that the human race is the only species equipped to prevent its extinction and transport lifeforms to other planets. The Sun will run out of fuel eventually and consuming all organic life along with it. As the sentient species acutely aware of its mortality, it makes us morally bound to use our ingenuity and creativity to prevent this. This might be a little hard to comprehend since most humans have a myopic view of mortal life and interstellar travel to save our species doesn't have a place in our immediate priorities. Here the readers have to bite the philosophical nugget of "deontogenic" ethics whose premise states that "existence precedes essence". For any sentient life to flourish and produce science, technology, and the arts it has to overcome the extinction threat, plunge into new worlds, and exist. This section is a commendable exploration (and a treat for philosophy nerds) of the 'why' in space exploration and why investments must continue despite our planet ridden with existing perils of pandemics, climate change, overpopulation, etc.
In the next couple of chapters, we see the present advancements in human genome sequencing and the vast collection of genome sequences of all complex life systems on Earth which is the first step in molecular and genetic intervention required in future space missions. We are introduced to Captain Scott Kelly, the astronaut who completed the longest NASA mission in space and was a part of NASA Twins Study. The study compared his genetic, physiological, molecular, and epigenetic changes with his twin brother back on Earth. To everyone's surprise, Scott's immune system after coming back to Earth surpassed all levels. His immune system was on an overdrive only seen in patients with compromised immune systems. Not only this but his gene expression profile showed significant changes resulting from space radiation. This adds to the list of problems our astronauts going to Mars or Titan will face when their DNA changes with space travel. I read this fascinating detail that breathing in zero gravity isn't the same as back on Earth. Tiny clouds of carbon dioxide form in front of your mouth when you exhale. Such observations currently show how the human body is affected by space travel and that we have so much to learn before we embark on audacious space voyages.
Now we enter the exciting history and potential of CRISPR methods in gene editing and gene therapy. The next few decades will see advances in using these methods in tweaking genetic framework to combat and endure long-term space travel, radiation damage, and improve human physiological responses. Here the author deftly portrays that despite the exhilarating present advances, it will be a long journey until we successfully move from animal studies to 'CRISPR-ing' mutations out in human trials. But the clues to clever genome manipulation are present in nature itself. For years scientists have looked towards various organisms to incorporate their advantageous traits and manipulate them for human usage. For example, tardigrades, also called water bears (they look delightful under powerful microscopes) express an interesting protein called Dsup which protects their DNA. Work from the author's own lab showed that incorporation of this Dsup leads to 80% increase in reducing DNA damage. Such gene modification techniques will be crucial in protecting future space travellers in the next 100 years. This section is the most challenging in the whole book as it deals with in-depth molecular and cellular biology concepts.
In the future when Mars has permanent human settlements and genetic manipulation becomes commonplace (even recreational like ordering your choice of genes from a bar), organisms might even comprise of hybrid cells moving to the next phase which the author calls 'cellular liberty'. I would be remiss if I don't talk about my favourite example from this later half of the book. A green sea-slug called Elysia chlorotica eats chloroplast-containing algae (using molecular straws of course!) and becomes plantlike. Maybe future humans will have self-sufficient food-producing green tissues incorporated in them and cross another milestone in directed evolution. Who said green Martians are just stuff of science fiction?
Equipped with such advanced bioengineering technologies the author postulates that by 2351 we will be on the precipice of launching generation ships to candidate planets in different solar systems. The final phase of the sustainable existence of humans anywhere in the universe will encompass hybrid organismal systems (both human and non-human) evolving along with side physical and geochemical characteristics of other planets and satellites.
This work is a must-have for anyone interested in the latest space sciences. I was left wanting a bit more about the studies on human psychology during space travel, the effect on our cognitive abilities, sleep cycle, and circadian rhythms. But this is me being an ardent fan of Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" Nevertheless, it provides an excellent collection and roadmap of everything we need to chart outer planets.
Who will love this book:
The book leaves us with glimpses of worlds imagined in the works by Kim Stanley Robinson and Neal Stephenson, fictional, and yet after reading this book don't look so far-fetched at all. A delight for space enthusiasts, astronauts, physicists, geologists, biologists, science nerds, speculative fiction readers, and all science fiction readers. The book does require a medium-paced reading as it is packed with findings and might require trips to browsers for more detailed explanations about genetic engineering topics.
September 12, 2025
Just like Back to the Moon: The Next Giant Leap for Humankind wasn't really about the moon but about the author passion (astrophysics), this book is not really about "the next 500 years" but about the authors passion for micro-biology.
The parts that are about the far future (many billions of years, even the end of the universe) are a bit sci-fi, handwavy, and not too interesting.
However, the parts about micro-biology were fascinating to read; the author knows his stuff and I enjoyed him doing some grounded speculation of what could be done with the human body.
The discussion of extra-terrestrial life seemed to a bit too DNA-focused; I mean, a similar mechanism & evolution seem conceivable, even necessary, but the specifics of DNA more like an accident. Well, we'll find out one day! At least I learned about unnatural base pairs, that is quite amazing (i.e., adding some letters to ACTG).
So overall a fun read! The book good have used a bit more editing I think, but in general I much prefer some real scientists talking rather than smoother sci journalist.
The parts that are about the far future (many billions of years, even the end of the universe) are a bit sci-fi, handwavy, and not too interesting.
However, the parts about micro-biology were fascinating to read; the author knows his stuff and I enjoyed him doing some grounded speculation of what could be done with the human body.
The discussion of extra-terrestrial life seemed to a bit too DNA-focused; I mean, a similar mechanism & evolution seem conceivable, even necessary, but the specifics of DNA more like an accident. Well, we'll find out one day! At least I learned about unnatural base pairs, that is quite amazing (i.e., adding some letters to ACTG).
So overall a fun read! The book good have used a bit more editing I think, but in general I much prefer some real scientists talking rather than smoother sci journalist.
December 13, 2021
This is completely mind-expanding! This book is mostly speculation, but solidly grounded in the unbelievable feats modern science is already capable of. Contained in here are (potentially) humans with several square meters of foldable skin basking in the sun with CRISPR-inserted algal genes that let them photosynthesize, spaceships with light sails traveling to star systems parsecs away, vacations on the shores of liquid methane lakes on Titan, and settled earth-like worlds in the TRAPPIST star system.
All outrageous on the face of things, but at the same time … believable. And possible. Perhaps probable? But importantly(Mason claims), inevitable. If life has to survive into the far future (~millions of years).
An ethicist’s rebuttal to this work might make very interesting reading.
All outrageous on the face of things, but at the same time … believable. And possible. Perhaps probable? But importantly(Mason claims), inevitable. If life has to survive into the far future (~millions of years).
An ethicist’s rebuttal to this work might make very interesting reading.
October 31, 2022
Really interesting narrative from a biology perspective. A little heavy on the biology terminology which caused me to skip a large portion of the book to get to the thought experiments that it proposes. Read this book if you would like to follow along the thread of gene editing and how this could make our species interplanetary. Don't read it if you want a light read on the topic of human pro-existence and other angles of view (like the human race converting itself to a silicon based race i.e.).
January 2, 2024
Imagining the next 50 years is challenging, let alone the next 500. The book needs to be commended for even attempting to map such a vast temporal scope. However, the content falls short of the ambitious intent. While the book successfully charts significant ideas in bioengineering currently being explored, it fails to extend its vision beyond these. The text is somewhat technical, yet it offers valuable pointers for those deeply interested in the field of bioengineering to go down the rabbit hole.
April 6, 2023
Rather technical book on genetically engineering humans for space exploration, though stopping slightly short of the pantropy suggested in Blish's The Seedling Stars, with material on exowombs, generation ships, and engineering food plants for space. Not sure I agree with his argument that humans have a moral imperative to avoid their own extinction, but it's a useful resource for sf writers who want to avoid using FTL drives or other superscience.
April 15, 2024
Read (sometimes skimmed) a library hardback. More than almost anyone will ever want to know about genetics and genetic engineering possibilities with respect to space travel and the possibility of colonizing other worlds and star systems. It's marred by the author's apparent need to spend the first chapter providing a muddle of philosophical/religious justifications for doing what he thinks should be done. . .
June 8, 2021
Lots of interesting information! I have always had a fascination with space and space travel and enjoyed this book immensely. It might be a little heavy on the science, but he does a good job explaining the major points.
September 19, 2021
I've never really read something like this, but the first chapter pulled me in. Then the middle chapters got pretty technical, but still presented a nice vision. The ending was sad, but true, and made me hopeful for humanity.
May 21, 2022
Bold, optimistic and a little bit scary. If we manage to get by the problems of the 21st century, then this book charts the course for the continuous survival of mankind. Quite a vision, and nowhere near what Star Trek prophesied.
September 26, 2023
Didn't finish. I think the concept is great and it got me to purchase the book but I found the writing was too technical and detailed for what I was expecting. Maybe I'll return to it and fast forward to see how it unfolds.
January 27, 2025
Quite an exceptional read
I want to read this book again and again. I appreciate the effort to create it and hope we can all work together to reduce suffering and keep humans around for a while!
I want to read this book again and again. I appreciate the effort to create it and hope we can all work together to reduce suffering and keep humans around for a while!
September 17, 2021
Utopian and winding across space studies and even some plant designs, with an uplifting and surprising ending.
September 17, 2021
While I'm not a scientist, I felt like this was explained in a way that made sense and even my Mom really liked it!
September 18, 2021
A Joy for me to read. Wonderful story-telling. Lucid, careful, compelling explanation of science is taking us.
September 19, 2021
I really liked the story-telling parts of the book, and the characters in it. The bacterial systems were sometimes hard to read, but after that it was really nice and fun.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2021
I love astronauts and so this was a great summary of recent work in the field and the worlds to come.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2021
The shape of things to come, and I am grateful for the language of the future...
September 22, 2021
Cancer biology, physics, and astronomy all wrapped into a synthetic biology plan and vision- really excellent book.
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