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Message no. 1
From: Koenig Boldizsar <kobold@********.INEXT.HU>
Subject: Genetic engineering et al. (Was: Growing new parts)
Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 14:06:38 +0200
Hi all,

here's some interesting tidbits about today's technical levels:

Dutch scientists developed special lines of rape (umm...Brassica napus)
to produce any kinds of oils: heptane, octane, etc. The technology has
been tested and it works. Imagine farms growing gas: some unleaded here,
some gasoline there...
(Btw. all the licences, rights and the full documentation have been
bought and filed away by...guess who.)

Most of genetic engineering is about improving *products*: having
tomatoes grow bigger, ripe quicker, rot later...while being immune to
diseases.

Bacteria have been modified in order to produce human insuline.

There *are* conveyor belt "chicken factories". They produce cheap
chicken, (meat mass producing hybrides) these hybrides are pretty good
at using their food, AFAIK (Don't know the ratio though).

The meat industry is already heavily into using hormones in order to
increase body mass growth, or milk production. Side effects of this on
the human organism is a much debated and rather unexplored area.

The above examples are from today. Food industry in the 205x years may
heavily rely on this and the 60 years between.

=========

Cloning, however, is a wholly different thing. Identical twins are
biologically clones of each other, but they have (more or less)
different personalities. (Any of you on the list having a twin?)
You can clone supersoldiers, but they will not grow up to be genetically
good soldiers: you need to condition, train, etc. them. If it is done in
an accelerated program most likely you get results similar to that of
the androids in Blade Runner. (Emotionally crippled bio-drones with
instable personalities)
Which, IMHO is possible in the world of SR. (Possible? Great background
for runs!)

Any comments?


KoBold
Message no. 2
From: Blaze <Blaze@*******.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Genetic engineering et al. (Was: Growing new parts)
Date: Fri, 3 Jul 1998 19:01:50 +0100
In article <359A264E.988D5EF5@****.inext.hu>, Koenig Boldizsar
<kobold@********.INEXT.HU> writes
>Hi all,

<snip battery farming, rape seed versatility and other stuff>

All of which as you say, exists today, which is why I find it so hard to
believe that everyone except the rich lives on Soy product in Shadowrun.

>Cloning, however, is a wholly different thing. Identical twins are
>biologically clones of each other, but they have (more or less)
>different personalities.

Yes, agreed so far.

> (Any of you on the list having a twin?)
>You can clone supersoldiers, but they will not grow up to be genetically
>good soldiers: you need to condition, train, etc. them.

Yes, and the problem is? That was part of the suggestion in the first
place. The clones would be indoctrinated within the military from their
time of inception using a combination of psychotropic conditioning,
simsense education, electronic education and conventional training.

The problem, as one pointed out, which I disagree with is that the
military can't look after kids, the second problem, which I do agree
with is the problem with tailored biological weapons.

>If it is done in
>an accelerated program most likely you get results similar to that of
>the androids in Blade Runner. (Emotionally crippled bio-drones with
>instable personalities)

That's why when I first brought up the subject I overruled the
"accelerated program", it has several fundamental problems that are
incredibly difficult to overcome, not least of which would be genetic
mutation as a result of the accelerants - although that could be an
interesting campaign.

>Which, IMHO is possible in the world of SR. (Possible? Great background
>for runs!)

The creatures in Bladerunner weren't Androids. An Android is an
artificial representation of a human - it is essentially robotic with no
organic parts. If organics are introduced then it becomes a Cyborg.
The creatures in Bladerunner were Replicants. Genetically created human
organisms. Living beings that breathe, eat, fornicate, bleed and die.

Bishop is an Android. (Aliens)
Robocop is a Cyborg (Robocop)
Leon is a replicant (Bladerunner)

There's a considerable difference between them.

--
Blaze
http://www.fortunecity.com/rivendell/angband/317/index.htm
Shadowrun: rants and a whole bunch of other stuff.
Message no. 3
From: Koenig Boldizsar <kobold@********.INEXT.HU>
Subject: Re: Genetic engineering et al. (Was: Growing new parts)
Date: Sun, 5 Jul 1998 18:06:48 +0200
<snippety-snip-snip>
> Bishop is an Android. (Aliens)
> Robocop is a Cyborg (Robocop)
> Leon is a replicant (Bladerunner)
>
> There's a considerable difference between them.

Thanks for the explanation. I used to get confused which is which.
I meant replicants.

BTW I think if military planners deciede to start a clone program, they
will make sure to have personnel to change diapers etc. This would not
be a problem.

KoBold

Further Reading

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