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[eerr]

Ah, but the reverse is more important, nowadays. People often think evolution favours complexity and more features, while the opposite is usually the case. Most animals can produce their own vitamin C, but we and several other fruit-eaters can't. Probably because we no longer needed to, because we ate fruit. Degeneration in genes is much more pronounced and a lot quicker than new abilities. See for example troglobionts, or cave species. Most, if not all of them lost all pigment and vision (genetic convergence), and haven't been separated from their surface-dwelling cousins for that long, as most limestone caves aren't very old. Because of vitamin D supplements, we will slowly lose the ability to synthesize it ourselves.

So, by keeping the weak, sick, and degenerate artifically alive and reproducing, we are quickly degenerating our species, where we can no longer survive without technology. The other option, however, is even worse.

Vitamin D deficiency will be the least of our genetic problems in the future.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Vitamin D deficiency will be one of our no longer problamatic genetic problems in the future.

Fixed, because it is only a matter of time untill we make genetics our bitch. We already have glow-in-the-dark pigs, so I'd say we've made a good start.

[Micro102]

~45 more years is the assumed date of the discovery of the removal of aging..... Then Toady can make Dwarf fortress forever 

[eerr]

Vitamin D deficiency will be one of our no longer problamatic genetic problems in the future.

Fixed, because it is only a matter of time untill we make genetics our bitch. We already have glow-in-the-dark pigs, so I'd say we've made a good start.

Hey now, My future is your intermediate era here, get yer facts straight.

[Makbeth]

Nature=Bitch

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Only when you pick the parts of nature smaller than yourself as examples.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

And sometimes, not even then.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

We fix all that in a matter of months, and I might remind you that we've eliminated two viruses from this planet, with two more soon to follow.

[Earthquake Damage]

We fix all that in a matter of months, and I might remind you that we've eliminated two viruses from this planet, with two more soon to follow.

Viruses destroyed by humans:  2
Viruses destroyed by not humans:  innumerable

[The Doctor]

... Wat.



SCIENCE is what makes humans special. ;-;


If you get a pig in a labcoat then I'll believe you.

[Micro102]

... Wat.



SCIENCE is what makes humans special. ;-;


If you get a pig in a labcoat then I'll believe you.

Got to quote man, don't know what your talking about.

[The Doctor]

Neither do I.

[Leafsnail]

Some viruses just won't be destroyable, though.  Anything that mutates quickly enough to resist drugs and vaccines is gonna be tough.

Having said that, though, theoretically, AIDS could be eradicated quite easily.  If EVERYONE in countries with high rates were tested, and EVERYONE who came up positive received anti-retrovirals, they wouldn't spread the disease anymore (anti-retrovirals lower the level of virus in you to the extent that you can't really give it to anyone else anymore).  That way, noone else would get the disease, and when the people who already have AIDS die (mostly through normal causes), the disease will be eradicated.

The problem is it'd cost a lot of money in the short term, and would be very, very hard to organise.  It'd end up saving money, though, since we wouldn't have to treat people with AIDS in the future.

...Uh, my source would be New Scientist, but you need to be a member to view their articles >.<

[MetalSlimeHunt]

I heard some reports about a new theoretical method to eradicate the influenza family though creating a vaccine that would target the areas of it that never mutate between strains. Not sure if it would work, but there you go.

[Makbeth]

We fix all that in a matter of months, and I might remind you that we've eliminated two viruses from this planet, with two more soon to follow.

True enough, but being able to bury the dead and rebuild is hardly what I'd call making nature our bitch.  It's a bit closer to being able to hide the bruises nature gives us.

Making nature our bitch would mean keeping those disasters from happening in the first place while also finding a harmless or even useful outlet for the energy those disasters would normally release.  We have not done so.  Nature is not our bitch, because the best we can do is make it so fewer of us are killed by it every year.

[Micro102]

Some viruses just won't be destroyable, though.  Anything that mutates quickly enough to resist drugs and vaccines is gonna be tough.

Having said that, though, theoretically, AIDS could be eradicated quite easily.  If EVERYONE in countries with high rates were tested, and EVERYONE who came up positive received anti-retrovirals, they wouldn't spread the disease anymore (anti-retrovirals lower the level of virus in you to the extent that you can't really give it to anyone else anymore).  That way, noone else would get the disease, and when the people who already have AIDS die (mostly through normal causes), the disease will be eradicated.

The problem is it'd cost a lot of money in the short term, and would be very, very hard to organise.  It'd end up saving money, though, since we wouldn't have to treat people with AIDS in the future.

...Uh, my source would be New Scientist, but you need to be a member to view their articles >.<

Actually that's not true, bacteria only has a limited amount of space for genes. And the more gene's they have the more ways there are to kill them. There will always be a way to destroy a type of virus.

[Eagle_eye]

I heard some reports about a new theoretical method to eradicate the influenza family though creating a vaccine that would target the areas of it that never mutate between strains. Not sure if it would work, but there you go.

The issue is, ANY gene can mutate.