The Return of the Dinosaurs and Self-Tying Shoes?!
When Sara asked the Blog staff what they predict will happen in 2021, Erik Bearman chose to talk about ideas in science-fiction media that may soon become reality.
By Erik Bearman
Bringing Back The Dinosaurs
A lot of us probably went through a dinosaur phase when we were younger. We dreamed about what it would be like to see them walk the Earth once again. Entire books and film franchises have explored this idea. But what if I told you that within the next decade you can have your own pet dinosaur?
Let’s be clear on one thing: I am NOT saying that you can have a pet triceratops. I am talking about owning a chicken that has been genetically altered to display dinosaur-like traits. Let me explain:
There are two kinds of dinosaurs: avian and non-avian. Non-avian dinosaurs are the ones that went extinct 66 million years ago. But the avian dinosaurs are still alive and are what you might call “birds.” As unassuming as your average chicken is, they are the closest living relative to the T-Rex. And, they still contain the genes that gave them their dinosaur-like traits millions of years ago. Paleontologists theorize that with modern gene-editing technology, we could reactivate those dormant genes and create a “Chickenosaurus.” And, we’ve already had some moderate success: in 2015, researchers managed to reverse-engineer a chicken snout to make it resemble the snout of a non-avian dinosaur. Researcher Jack Horner even claimed, “From a quantitative point of view, we’re 50 percent there” (livescience.com).
Velcro Is Outdated!
Back to the Future II got a lot of things wrong about 2015. We may not have self-drying jackets, but we do have self-lacing shoes! Earlier this month, Nike launched the Air Jordans 11. These Jordans allow its wearers to “control the laces via Bluetooth using a Nike app that lets them customize the fit of the sneakers” (businessinsider.com). According to the Jordan Brand, these sneakers will be “the most personalized Jumpman shoes to date.” Right now, these Air Jordans sell at $185 (sneakernews.com). But, I predict that self-lacing shoes will become cheaper as they become more commonplace.
“We are in the midst of a genetic revolution”–Unnatural Selection
Movies like Gattaca have depicted a dismal future that oppresses people and condemns them to a life of simple servitude due to their genetic structure. In Gattaca, genetically superior people–who were usually gifted because their parents had gone to a geneticist before their child’s birth–were always given prestigious opportunities in life including space travel. Meanwhile, genetically inferior people, called “in-valids” wouldn’t see the inside of a spaceship unless they were cleaning it. What makes such discrimination so concerning is that it isn’t based on ignorance or religion; it’s based off of actual science. This future isn’t too far off either.
Unless you’re pursuing a career in genetics, you likely haven’t heard the name Josiah Zayner before. Josiah Zayner is the creator of The ODIN. The ODIN is a project dedicated to “Making Science and Genetic Engineering Accessible and Affordable” (www.the-odin.com). Using CRISPR technology, Zayner has created a tool so you can modify your own DNA at home with a complete set of instructions on how to do so! But, if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of modifying your own DNA, there are other alternatives you can do with the kits. A couple things you can do is modify bacteria to glow in the dark or make frogs grow bigger muscles. There are even online classes that you can do at your own pace.
Now if you’re still concerned about one day being an “in-valid,” you don’t have to worry. Zayner’s goal is making these kits accessible to everybody–not just the upper class. So you’ll have the power to change yourself if you want to.
Sources
https://www.livescience.com/50801-chicken-with-dinosaur-snout-images.html
https://www.livescience.com/50886-scientific-progress-dino-chicken.html
Jurassic Park
Back To The Future II
Gattaca
Unnatural Selection (Netflix documentary)
2021 Predictions Editor: Sara Habibipour