Gattaca Research Paper

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Recommended: Genetic engineering in the movie gattaca

Kristi Skov
Mr. Price
Biology
We Should Not Genetically modify our offspring
In the science fiction movie, GATTACA, directed by Andrew Niccol, a young man by the name of Vincent Freeman dreams of traveling to space. However, Freeman’s genetic modifications are far from perfect and set him back from achieving his dream. To fulfill his goal of becoming an astronaut at Gattaca corp. he assumes the identity of Jerome Morrow, a man genetically perfect for the job. In this futuristic movie, creating offspring is conventional, which is now beginning to become a reality in the real world. This leaves one question, should offspring be genetically modified? Genetically modifying offspring is the “process of manually adding DNA to an organism”(UNL's AgBiosafety for Educators). Scientists have successfully improved the genes of Homo Sapien embryos. Recently, scientists were able to modify a gene causing a potentially fatal blood disorder (The Independent). Genetically engineering may decrease disease and extend life expectancy, but there are many cons outweighing the pros. Genetically modifying offspring should not be allowed due to lack of genetic diversity, safety issues, and economic issues. …show more content…

If offspring are genetically modified, after a long period of time, humans will start becoming clones of one another and lack any genetic diversity which is necessary for survival. Genetic diversity allows species to adapt to diseases common to that region. “A diverse array of genotypes appears to be especially important in disease resistance”(United States. National Park Service). Genetic diversity has a tie to survival because different genetics adapt to different environments, and without it, organisms would not be able to cope with the current environmental

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