Gem X by Nicky Singer and Genetic Engineering Essay Example for Free

Gem X by Nicky Singer and transmitted Engineering EssayThe Science manufacture Book Project is a physics project in which students describe an example of science fiction and the scientific feasibility of the authors ideas. It promotes the prep ar improvement writing goal by allowing a student to pick a book of their choice read it, research one topic in the book, and write a scientific paper discussing the future of the science of their chosen topic.The book chosen for this project is Gem X by Nicky Singer. In the book, Maxo is a GemX (who1). A GemX is a being who is transmittedally manipulated to be flawless. Maxo, having the top gene line up and being intelligent and handsome, is the epitome of perfect. He lives in the Polis (where1), a city in the future (when). Maxo finds a crack in his face, which is only supposed to happen to Dreggies, which argon the wretched underclass of unenhanced naturals. Maxo begins to search for a heal to the crack in his skin (what1). Maxo is not the only GemX with a crack in his skin thousands of others in the Polis are experiencing the same horrifying shock as him. The Leaders of the Polis dont want to give Igo Strang, Maxos father and the lead scientist of the Polis, the time that it takes to do the research for why this is happeningthe solution is more more dramatic than they think. Maxo tries to save himself and the others from the secrecy and lies of the Polis (why1).On the outside of the Polis where all of the Dreggies live, violence, poverty, and ugliness are routine (where2). There, lives a Dreggie named Gala (who2). Gala is looking for her absent father (what2) who disappeared while volunteering for scientific research in the Polis. Her dying mothers last request is to see her father (why2). She runs into Maxo on his journey, and he whitethorn be the key to finding her father. His father wasthe last person to see hers, and she may be able to get information from him. None of them realize that they are all paw ns in a bigger game. The citys Supreme Leader has plans that will leave their lives hanging in the balance.People may machinate disparate intuitive feelings about the book, Gem X. The idea and cognitive content of the book give potential in being a great story, but in my opinion it was a poorly written book. Its flow and structure did not appeal. This book is not recommended to those who are picky and read higher quality books.The scientific subject in the book was genetical technology. ancestral engineering is the deliberate modification of the characteristics of an organism by manipulating its genetic material. Because it is the alteration of genetic code by coloured means, it is different from traditional selective breeding. Genetic engineering includes imitate and genetic selection. An example of genetic engineering is taking the gene that programs poison in the croup of a scorpion, and combining it with a cabbage. These genetically modified cabbages kill caterpillars because they have learned to grow scorpion poison (insecticide) in their sap.There are two types of cloning therapeutic and reproductive. Therapeutic cloning involves cloning cells from an adult for use in medicine and medical research. Reproductive cloning, which is a whole different matter, is creating an identical copy of a human being, and is super controversial. Reproductive cloning is has not been coifed on humans and is illegal in most countries.Gene selection procedures can be applied after a fetus or an embryo is tested through prenatal screening or through Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD). PGD tests embryos for genetic sequences associated with specific conditions. A cell is extracted from an embryo at its eighth cell stage and analyzed. Embryos with the selected characteristics can be implanted in a womans uterus to develop into a child.Genetic engineering is important because it can help us prevent people from being born with diseases and disorders. It can al so change produce such as vegetables from attaining bacteria or being eaten up by bugs. It can also increase their level of nutrition as well.In the past, there have been numerous attempts in genetic engineering, both ending with good and bad results. Scientists have worked on genetically modifying animals and plants, to improve them. hotshot example is changing the genetics in produce animals such as chickens so that they become even bigger than the normal and healthy-sized chicken, to increase income when selling them. PGD was introduced in 1990 and is used to prevent Downs syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell, Huntingtons chorea, and Cooleys anemia.They have also attempted at cloning as well. They have only done reproductive cloning on animals, and it never got the desired results. Athletes have always desired better sports performance, and have driven many another(prenominal) trainers and athletes to abuse scientific research to try and gain unfair advanta ge over their competitors. Such efforts involved the use of performance-enhancing drugs originally meant to accomplish people with disease. This put through is called doping, and it frequently involves substances such as steroids and growth hormones.Today, cloning and gene selection are popular science fiction topics in movies, books, and comics. PGD has become controversial as well because some parents want to use it to select their babys gender and cosmetic traits such as eye color and type of vibrissa to design their own child. Like in Gem X, they want to have, in their own way, a perfect child. A new variation of PGD, Pre-Implantation Genetic Haplotyping, allows for many more genes to be tested with greater accuracy. A new reproductive technique involving in-vitro fertilization has become possible as well.There are currently also problems of gene doping, which is the nontherapeutic use of cells, genes, or genetic elements to enhance athletic performance, and it takes advantag e of the gene therapy that involves the transfer of genetic material to human cells to treat them. It increases the amount of proteins and hormones that cells normally make. Although many people desire the ability to select certain genes to have certain traits or clone themselves, the idea of humangenetic engineering raises numerous honourable and legal questions, and it is very controversial in itself as well as its techniques. Many other people are highly against it because it is against our morals and ethics, and they just think it is wrong.Scientists believe that once we overcome these arguments of ethics and morals, develop the technology required, and retrieve more information, we will be able to perform successful genetic engineering on humans in the future. This includes cloning, and gene selection. Researchers are only beginning to use the genetic technology to unravel the genomic contributions to different phenotypes and as they do so, they are also discovering a variety of other potential applications for this technology. The only limits barring genetic engineering are our imagination and ethical code. In the future, cloning and gene selection will be possible.Gem X is a science fiction book that discusses the topic of genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is the deliberate modification of the characteristics of an organism by manipulating its genetic material. It can be both helpful, and hazardous, and it may be possible in the future. Genetic engineering gives scientists the ability to alter the very basis of life.Works CitedGenetic Engineering What is Genetic Engineering?. Futurist growth strategies keynote speaker Patrick Dixon globalchange.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012. http//www.globalchange.com/geneticengin.htm. affirmatory Health Online Article Genetic Engineering Today The Promise and the Ethics. Positive Health Online Homepage Welcome to PositiveHealthOnline USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012. http//www.positivehealth.com/a rticle/miscellaneous/genetic-engineering-today-the-promise-and-the-ethics. Simmons, Danielle . Genetic Inequality homophile Genetic Engineering. Scitable by Nature Education . N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012. www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetic-inequality-human-genetic-engine