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[DJ]

IMO we know nowhere near enough about genetics to mess around with the human genome. It'd be kinda like when we tried fixing psychological disorders with surgery.

[~Neri]

You'red seriously claiming that you could sit on your knees for 5-6 hours and be able to get up and walk? For me it's like 15 minutes and I can't feel my lower legs.

Also:

The anterior side of the coccyx serves for the attachment of a group of muscles important for many functions of the pelvic floor (i.e., defecation, continence, etc.)

I've done it before, usually need to stretch a bit though before I can walk. Get the blood flowing.

As for coccyx stuff, might make more sense to add a split to the spine. So the Coccyx is still there, but there's another thing coming off the spine that serves as the anchor for the tail.

[DJ]

But if it's just a graft on the spine rather than an extension of it you wouldn't be able to move it.

[~Neri]

Not a graft onto the spine, a lil bit above the coccyx, you split the spine, it's technically an extension in a different direction, not just a random graft. Prolly would be difficult though.

[scrdest]

Funny you should mention antihelmintics...

Turns out that humans HAVE INDEED co-evolved with GI parasites, like Helminths, and that such organisms CAN and DO confer health benefits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helminthic_therapy

They have been found to be surprisingly therapeutic for profound cases of asthma, ulcerative colitis, and crohne's disease.


The basic theme of your argument argues for the removal of these organisms. Mine advocates tolerance of them, citing things like this.

I am quite confident that the more we learn about the inner workings of the human body, especially in regard to epigenetic factors (like bowel flora), the more it will be shown that the notion of trying to outdo nature is folly.

It would only be funny had I not specifically thought of that because of hearing of that last week. But come to think of it, what I specifically had in mind is bacterial in origin. But regardless - the thing here is that with some research, we can both have removed the autoimmune disorders and not have WORMS CRAWL INSIDE YOUR VEINS AND LUNGS. ...that wasn't a hyperbole, either.

As for outdoing nature being folly - think of the glory of nature the next time you're coughing because a piece of food or drink got into your respiratory system. Or when you get appendicitis. Or, since you brought it up, you have an autoimmune response.

IMO we know nowhere near enough about genetics to mess around with the human genome. It'd be kinda like when we tried fixing psychological disorders with surgery.

At this point, the major issue is not the genes themselves anymore - you can look up the sequence easily, the issue is how frequently they are expressed and such, but we can predict what does what. And most of the things we'd be fixing with genetic modification, we understand pretty damn well.

On a complete tangent and a nice opportunity to brag, I'll be cloning... something, I don't even know what yet, in the next couple weeks.

[wierd]

Again, your best bet there is hormonally deactivated supressor genes, coupled with gene modified stem cells, and surgical extraction of the coccyx.

Even then, the prognosis is "bad", (as in, only a crazed moron would agree to this), since humans dont conserve the same metabolic pathways that amphibians and reptiles do.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140619125218.htm

In theory-- Such a combination would permit you to grow a vestigial full tail.  It would not be furry, nor cute.

They look like this on humans:

Spoiler:  It's a.... Baby. (click to show/hide)

[penguinofhonor]

.

[wierd]

The distinction is more grey than you realize. Take for instance, hospice and triage.

I am not saying to kill the kid, I am saying to let him die as comfortably as is possible. EG, Hospice care.

You find this quite a bit with terminally ill patients that no longer have independent power of attorney. (Say, they have severe dementia, or are otherwise unable to make the choice. In the case of a child, they have not reached the age of consent.) Those that think of the emotional needs of the family first and foremost will elect to "save" the patient, even when they really can't be saved. (Or cant be saved in a way that does not coincide with excessive, continuous intervention care.)  Hospice care makes such patients comfortable, and as happy as possible while they die.  Literally, that is what it is.

[Urist Arrhenius]

WORMS CRAWL INSIDE YOUR VEINS AND LUNGS. ...that wasn't a hyperbole, either.

This is a hyperbole, an exaggeration, and perhaps even an over exaggeration. Worst case: they're crawling I'm your GI tract, and maybe absorb a few nutrients. Minimally pathogenic varieties are used, and studies have reported completely asymptomatic infections in clinical settings.

[ChairmanPoo]

...you know, there is a big leap between saying that perhaps in certain inflammatory bowel diseases certain parasite strains could help control the process, and saying that we all should have worms wriggling inside...

[scrdest]

The distinction is more grey than you realize. Take for instance, hospice and triage.

I am not saying to kill the kid, I am saying to let him die as comfortably as is possible. EG, Hospice care.

You find this quite a bit with terminally ill patients that no longer have independent power of attorney. (Say, they have severe dementia, or are otherwise unable to make the choice. In the case of a child, they have not reached the age of consent.) Those that think of the emotional needs of the family first and foremost will elect to "save" the patient, even when they really can't be saved. (Or cant be saved in a way that does not coincide with excessive, continuous intervention care.)  Hospice care makes such patients comfortable, and as happy as possible while they die.  Literally, that is what it is.

Except... in your very own case, those people CAN be saved in a way that does not require continuous care. At the hypothetical potential cost of future people.

WORMS CRAWL INSIDE YOUR VEINS AND LUNGS. ...that wasn't a hyperbole, either.

This is a hyperbole, an exaggeration, and perhaps even an over exaggeration. Worst case: they're crawling I'm your GI tract, and maybe absorb a few nutrients. Minimally pathogenic varieties are used, and studies have reported completely asymptomatic infections in clinical settings.

You are just plain wrong, or we're talking about separate things. Therapeutically applied, of course, the worms used will be as non-invasive as possible.

What wierd is advocating is not treating helminthiases, since they maybe kinda have a therapeutic effect down the line. And then you get even fairly common ones, like Ascariasis, which is precisely what I described. Aaaaand I also had it. And have an autoimmune disorder. Didn't help one bit.

[Urist Arrhenius]

Ah, I was thinking more for treating existing IBD, Crohns, ulcerative colitis, etc. Definitely treat the feral kind as soon as you know you've got them. Only domestic squirmies for me.

[wierd]

That is incorrect sir, and is the result of jumping to conclusions.  You seem to think that I am opposed to research, and applied science concerning our environment.  That is incorrect.  I am opposed to systemic eradication of "Nuisance" organisms, and genetic features.

While there is still insufficient evidence to completely link the two, there is growing data to suggest that keeping the house too clean around children can increase their incidences of developing asthma like respiratory conditions in adult life, for instance.  Does that mean I advocate living in 3rd world shithole conditions? No-- it just means I am opposed to people slathering on the hand sanitizer with OCD like frenzy.

And NO-- the case I made was NOT as you describe it.  The case was for genetically transferred disorders that would normally be terminal without intervention.  Such conditions DO usually prescribe the use of persistent, long term therapy.  Take for instance, congenital type 1 diabetes, where they are basically born unable to produce insulin.  We can save them, sure.  Insulin shots several times a day, or perhaps an installed insulin pump.  But without that insulin, every day? They die. Horribly.

[Andres]

I'm getting a tail.

If you're talking about a prehensile, Saiyan-like tail then sure. Same here. If you're talking about something as useless like a dog or cat tail then I have no choice but to consider you as inferior to me. Honestly, the downsides in that case would outweigh the singular bonus (balance) it gives. A few downsides that come to mind include discomfort while sitting, new clothes being required (not really that terrible, actually), and extra hygiene requirements.

-snipsnop-

Prehensile and fluffy is what I want. So technically a combination between a saiyan like tail and a fox tail.

Fluffy is not a good idea, IMO. Short fur is better because with fluffy you have more fur/hair being shed, it can get caught in clothing like zippers more easily, and if you're outdoors it'll get dirty pretty quickly. Something to cover the tail would probably be for the best since tails look really ugly when the don't have it, at least on humans.

Realistically, you could do a germ line genetic modification and have your child have a tail, but that carries a risk of a major psycho-sociological disorder known to the specialists as 'never talking to you again, ever'.

I'm not sure what the problem here would be. If the child doesn't want the extra limb, they can just remove it through surgery, right?

[wierd]

Before they reach the age of legal consent, they still have to go to public school, and can be subject to public ridicule for being the "Freaky kid with the weird assed tail!"