ARTICLE 1
Genetic engineering boosts intelligence
US researchers have genetically modified mice to be better at learning and remembering. Team leader Joe Tsien, a neurobiologist at Princeton University said simply: “They’re smarter.” Humans also have the added gene, although it is not yet known whether it has the same function in people. But the scientists believe their results show that one day it may be possible to boost human intelligence.
Side effects
However, Dr Tim Bliss, head of neurophysiology at the National Institute for Medical Research in London, said: “When you insert a gene at random into the genome you don’t know what might happen. These animals seem to be OK, but there might be all sorts of hidden down sides to having this extra protein.
Smart young things
The research team from Princeton, Washington and MIT universities found that adding a single gene to mice significantly boosted the animals’ ability to solve maze tasks, learn from objects and sounds in their environment and to retain that knowledge.
ARTICLE 2
Should genetic engineering be stopped?
ROBIN: Our first caller is David Gerry, who’s on the line from BC in Canada. David, does any of this worry you?
DAVID GERRY: Yes, the speed with which all of these things are being introduced is such that if there is a problem we don’t have the opportunity to identify it and react. If the process were like the introduction of a new drug which takes twelve years then we could be reasonably assured that there are very few side affects, but there are so many products coming on the market so quickly there’s no long term data to reassure us that there isn’t a problem.
ROBIN: Our next caller is from Estonia – Jaak Aru, What are your feelings about this issue?
JAAK ARU: So far we have been talking about creation and evolution. In other words, either God created or Nature developed all the species on the earth. From this year on, starting with Dolly the sheep, we do have proof there is a third subject which is able to develop species – that is human beings.
ROBIN: Dora Samuel is calling from Berlin. Dora, do you agree that strong legislation and labelling are needed?
DORA SAMUEL: Well, I_m against genetic engineering because it_s an invention as dangerous as the invention of the atomic bomb and the hydrogen bomb.
ROBIN: They killed a lot of people when they were used in Japan. Are you saying that genetic manipulation can kill people in the same way?
DORA SAMUEL: We don_t know because even the engineers who have invented this thing don_t know what_s going to happen in the future. They have no idea of the side effects.
- Should genetic engineering be stopped?
- What are its positive and negative aspects?
- What is the opinion of the Catholic Church on this topic?
