Genetic Performance and Mutational Opportunity
Genetically Wrapped
by Steve Oxley
1w ago
When opportunity arises, some people will grasp their chance, many will not believe or trust their luck, whilst others will sit back and let the opportunity pass or have it taken away from them. Fate may deliver new possibilities but whether or not those possibilities prove fruitful will depend on the individual. The same may be said for genetic performance. Whenever genetic mutation occurs it amounts to genetic opportunity. It is the moment of genetic change when new possibilities become available. Although there are various types of genetic mutation the common element to each is that in the ..read more
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Sci-fi Genetics – Correcting the Vision
Genetically Wrapped
by Steve Oxley
3M ago
Watching futuristic sci-fi films often proves quite problematic for me. A large proportion of the population always seem to be missing. Where are all the ugly, over-weight, bespectacled, disabled people? They no longer seem to exist. I can only presume that they must have been transferred into some “Wellsian” underworld. But maybe not; maybe there is some reasonable explanation for this exorcism of great swathes of our existing population. Fearful of stereotypical and prejudicial accusations and seeking to give some credence to the vision they have portrayed, producers of these programmes may ..read more
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Genetic Luck – A Favoured Humanity?
Genetically Wrapped
by Steve Oxley
5M ago
Right here; right now. What are the odds? So often – too often – we take our existence for granted. It didn’t have to be like this. We didn’t have to be here; we didn’t have to be here in this state of being. Things could have turned out very differently. In Nature there are no guarantees or assurances with regard to survival. It’s a very uncertain world. There are so many variables; so many possibilities. There are so many things that have shaped the past, so many things that can impact the future. As a species, Nature owes humanity no favours. We are in no privileged position; we are no bett ..read more
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Genetic Intensification – The Drive to Extremes
Genetically Wrapped
by Steve Oxley
8M ago
If something works then you will persist in doing that something. You may even try to enhance or extend that something. In fact, the more you can do of that something then the better it should be for you. It’s tried and tested. Why would you do anything different? This is not only a natural instinct but it also explains why, in Nature, when comparing species there’s so much variety, so many unique characteristics, so much that is extraordinary. Giraffes with their long necks; camels with their humps; narwhals with their lengthy tusk; chameleons with their darting tongue….. the remarkable, the ..read more
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Contracted to Society
Genetically Wrapped
by Steve Oxley
11M ago
If we want society to support us then we have to support society. That is the basis of our contractual relationship with society. Society will look after us but we must also look after society. Society gives us rights and protections as individuals, support and benefits when we’re in need, a living environment that is safe and secure, conditions that enable us to develop nourishing relationships with others. Without society our survival – both individually and as a species – would be in jeopardy. In a world without society’s rules we would be living in chaos and discord. Hobbes accurately desc ..read more
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Sophie’s Choice: A Return to Nature
Genetically Wrapped
by Steve Oxley
1y ago
In the film Sophie’s Choice, Sophie (played by Meryl Streep) is ordered by a Nazi officer to make the difficult choice as to which of her two children she keeps – one would be gassed to death and one would be sent to a children’s camp. As any parent will testify, it’s an impossible decision to make. How can you choose between your children? And yet Sophie was forced to choose. On the face of it, Sophie’s dilemma is brought about by the cruel, inhuman behaviour of a Nazi officer but there is more to it than this. The situation arose because in the death camps the normal protections and rules of ..read more
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Evolution – A Game of Chinese Whispers
Genetically Wrapped
by Steve Oxley
1y ago
If you had to think of an analogy to best describe evolution and the process of natural selection you might well opt for it being akin to a game of Chinese Whispers (or as some people call it – the Telephone Game). This comparison between the two is often made and is even used in some schools as part of the teaching process. It provides a practical demonstration of how evolution operates. In scientific terms, the game of Chinese Whispers is described as a Transmission Chain Experiment. The game is a simple one. Players stand in a line and a message is whispered from one person to the next. Whe ..read more
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Genetic Engineering: Essential and Inevitable
Genetically Wrapped
by Steve Oxley
1y ago
One thing that is apparent from our longer lifespans is that, as we age, the human form is prone to many genetically driven debilitating conditions. In other words, the longer we live the more likely we are to succumb to some genetically prescribed condition, notably cancers and degenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s. Similarly, throughout our lives, we live a genetic lottery, not knowing what the genetic fates have in store for us; not knowing what might happen, not knowing when something might happen. These genetically driven events are described as being “prescribed” because their poten ..read more
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Human Evolution – Past Success; Future Uncertainty
Genetically Wrapped
by Steve Oxley
1y ago
Humanity – we’re doing alright. In fact, we’re probably doing better than alright. We’ve been around awhile and, generally, our existence has not been too much in doubt. This is because, over the years, thousands of years, we have put ourselves in a strong evolutionary position. As a species, at some point in our development we would have had to make a choice as to the evolutionary path we were going to pursue. It wouldn’t have been at a singular point in time, nor one decision, but a series of actions at different moments. These choices would have been largely unnoticed, unconscious and unrem ..read more
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A Genetic Appraisal
Genetically Wrapped
by Steve Oxley
1y ago
We may not be due our year end, a salary review or our final exams but it should not mean that we are exempt from an appraisal of how we are performing as a species. Are we achieving what we are supposed to be striving for? How well are we doing? How do we compare with others? What should we be working on? Having an appraisal is an assessment of what we’ve done, where we are at and what we are going to do next. It’s a time to ask questions and a chance to get feedback. Are we surpassing ourselves, doing enough to get by or failing to meet expectations? Are we revealing ourselves to be a top pe ..read more
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