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Scientists Complete Map of Human Genetic Variation

UltimaGuy writes "A major scientific step in the field of genetics is set to speed up the search for the causes of common illnesses ranging from heart disease and cancer to Alzheimer's and asthma. Scientists have mapped patterns of tiny DNA differences that distinguish one person from another, a step that will speed up the search for genes that promote common illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes."

4 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. future is here by sinij · · Score: 0, Troll

    Welcome to the future, invalid.

  2. Re:Well all I can say is... by Turn-X+Alphonse · · Score: 1, Troll

    Fucking hell man, who did you piss off in your last life? Was it you who named Jesus to the cross then kicked a puppy!?

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    I like muppets.
  3. NEED GOOD LAWS NOW by twitter · · Score: 1, Troll
    speed up the search for genes that promote common illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes

    The potential misuses of this are obvious, immediate and must be legislated against now:

    1. Denial of insurance based on heredity.
    2. Abortion and culling based on heredity.
    3. Genetic "improvement" with unintentional consequences.
      1. That's a short list and others can think of more, I'm sure.

        The first two are obviously evil, but the third is perhaps the most terrifying. It would be very tempting to have a magic wand to change your child's DNA in such a way that they would not have high blood pressure. But what else would that do? Scientist are just beginning to understand how RNA and proteins magnify DNA differences and no one understands the relationship to thought patterns or behavior. Informed consent, under such circumstances, is impossible and experiments are not ethical.

        Formulating laws to deal with problems without halting reasonable research is difficult but must be persued.

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  4. And after all this research.... by Gnuontz · · Score: 0, Troll

    Reuters will report that monkeys have have long had the ability to type Shakespeare but have never felt it to be a worthwhile endeavor...we are all actually such borderline genomic constructs that we shouldn't really exist...and that we are only using 10 percent of our genomic potential.