10 amazing facts about biohakinge and biohacking

Biohaking - good or evil? The main idea biohakinga - improvement of biological objects, something like upgrading your computer. Despite the fact that the word "hacking" has a negative connotation and is associated with the violation of the law, biohaking refers rather to the study of the human body in terms of improving the non-biological processes.

1. "Big Brother" The true scale of the potential biohakinga opened at the University of Reading professor by the name of Kevin Warwick. Warwick and his colleagues from the Department of Cybernetics, wanted to know if they could build a computer that would be able to interact with human biological systems. They could.



implementing "Project Cyborg 'Warwick in 1998 implanted in his arm the first chip that sends a signal, allowing the computer to keep track of Warwick, opened for him the doors and turn on lights and equipment when it passed on the past. For this experiment was soon followed by another, in which Warwick implanted chip to his wife and the same - currently. This allowed him to feel what she was doing, and Warwick argued that it was similar to an electronic telepathy.

Not surprisingly, the Warwick is a controversial reputation in the scientific community. Subsequent experiments have allowed him to get closer to the unification of electronics and biology. In 2011, he moved to the use of robots, giving them information through sensors implanted in the brain.

Now Warwick experiments with rat brain, but hopes that in a few years will be able to manage the cells of the human brain, and eventually even to model brain, capable to interact with any technique. Warwick also claimed that he created the computer that was the Turing test (which is not confirmed and is the subject of much debate).



2. Genetically modified bacteria as a building materialBiohaking may include changes in the cells at the genetic level. The project «Juicy Print» hacking produces bacteria that react to light. The bacteria produce cellulose and with some changes in their genetic code, this production could be brought under control. Management is through the presence or absence of light. When the bacteria under light, they produce pulp. Remove the light and stop production.





As the name implies, the project as a raw material for the 3D-printer uses a natural substance. Bacteria of the layers which are sensitive to light, it is possible to create any shape. Potential applications for the technology are almost limitless, especially in medicine - from the recovery of the individual bodies to create new arteries and blood vessels. Since the new organs and implants will be based on biological material, it is expected that they will be better to take root in the human body will decrease the risk of rejection.

3. Touch magnitOdnim early example of combining technology and biology have been implanting the magnets in the person's fingers. Not surprisingly, this was done in secret, in places such as salons for body modification and body piercing. The idea is to combine a permanent interaction computers (hardware), software and people directly.





According to those involved in these experiments, the human body gradually adapts to the magnet, and begins to read electromagnetic signals as an additional sense organ. Something like birds sensitivity to magnetic fields of the Earth.

4. Eholokatsiya34-year-old Rich Lee knows that blind. He almost did not see the right eye, and lives in anticipation of the onset of blindness. But before he sees anything, he is ready to use echolocation.



This is done using magnets implanted in the ears of Lee. They are typically used for things such as listening to music in a way that no one else could hear her, but Lee is still learning and interpret the sounds heard. The magnets are implanted in the body shop modifications in Las Vegas and act as receivers of sound. Lee carries a battery and an amplifier sends a signal to the coil through the relay. The coil, in turn, sends the sound to the magnets and they vibrate, allowing Lee to hear the music.

Echolocation - it's a little more complicated. To use it, Lee will have to try to add the ultrasonic range finder, to be able to "see" through the implant.

5. «Humanity +» and Transhumanism «Humanity +» - is an international non-profit organization dedicated to considering how biohacking trying to improve humanity through technology. The organization operates in accordance with the statement that the use of technology must not conflict with ethics, and focuses on the expansion of human capabilities, to take the next step in human evolution. This includes an increase in the duration of human life, and go through the various barriers when it comes to such things as smart prosthetics, cryonics and regenerative medicine.



They also profess a philosophical school of transhumanism. At its core, transhumanism - is the idea that the human race as we know it today, some sort of an early prototype. With the help of technology, implants and genetic engineering, we are going to develop, to rise above the ordinary human possibilities, to something that transhumanists called "posthumanity." Along with the actual physical process of passage of these changes, they are also interested in some of the ethical issues and moral obligations which come with the promotion of the goal.

«Humanity +» asserts that this is absolutely not a new idea, though, and was further developed only in the last few decades. They say that the history of the movement goes back centuries, and its roots can be seen in the Greek idea of ​​using ambrosia to prevent aging and attempts to create alchemical elixir of life.

6. Objective: posthumanity case biohakinga idea posthumans closer to the ultimate goal, than you can imagine. Transhumanism - just average. The ultimate goal is posthumanity. Posthuman is defined as a being who, by today's standards, is no longer a person. He is as far removed from today's humanity, how far we are today from primates.





Supporters of the motion suggests that we will have full control over the emotions and mental state, and a long, healthy life. And get access to all of this posthuman, which arise as a result of the complete transformation of man, including genetic engineering, the introduction of nanotechnology, neural interfaces, implantable computers. This process will revolutionize our understanding of personality.

In general, it is not known how it will look. Humanity + suggests that this may be a kind of synthetic, artificially created intelligence, or that we could get rid of our bodies and live inside information networks such as the Internet. Transhumanism same applies only to "transient man ', which is simply a step on the ladder of evolution.

7. Political partiyaMozhet seem that the transhumanist movement - it is something which came out of a science fiction movie. However, supporters of the movement biohakinga and quite serious: they have formed a political party, and we intend to nominate its candidate for the US presidency.

The party's position is to make science, technology and health a priority. Their goals are incredibly high, especially considering that biohaking really still in its infancy. They already think like real politicians - for the future. They hope to withdraw from the basement workshops and encourage the body modification technologies and scientific progress as long as the concept of aging and death will become anachronisms, and all this for 15-20 years. They also want to work out the basic principles for the ethical use of new technologies. Zoltan Istvan, founder transhumanist Party, said that they do not just promote the science, they will use it. They are even going to support ideas such as headsets to read thoughts and suspended animation.



And members of the party is quite realistic to talk about their good chances in the elections in 2016, but Istvan, who is also running for president, is happy that this is just the beginning. And though it seems unlikely, but a precedent has already been created in Italy. The first candidate of the Italian Transhumanist Party was elected to Parliament in 2012.

8. Regulation nootropamiBiohaking does not always mean a scalpel and surgery. A fast-growing movement of "nootropics" is based on the idea of ​​taking drugs to the brain so that you can concentrate better, think faster and work more efficiently. One of the centers neuroprotective experiments located in Silicon Valley.





Doping for the brain is widespread, but there is no clear idea of ​​what is really happening at the same time in the human brain. Some people go to the extreme and take up to 40 different pills a day. What substances are used most frequently? Caffeine and L-theanine contained in coffee and tea. Tea and coffee - mild stimulant and is used universally. But there are also users, such as Ritalin and modafinil.



Is it possible for a long time to take these drugs and drug mixtures? No one is not sure, despite the fact that it is certainly not a new idea. Nootropics got a start in life with the creation in 1964 of chemical mixture called "piracetam". The work of the Romanian chemist and psychologist by the name of Corneliu Dzhiurdzhea laid the foundation for modern nootropics. By Dzhiurdzhea, Nootropics should be able to increase the effectiveness of training, improve information processing and enhance the activity between the two hemispheres of the brain, along with a lack of habituation and non-toxic.

But at the moment there is no real way to determine the effects of long-term effects on the brain of psychotropic drugs. And with them have legal problems. Since modafinil, used to treat narcolepsy, has been tested, it proved to be safe, and Air Force pilots used to increase the time awake during long-distance flights. But selling it without a prescription is illegal in the UK. However, sell nootropics that have not been tested, it is legitimate.

9. Steve Kurtz and the Department for Combating biological prestupleniyamiEsli you think that there is a high likelihood that something will go wrong when people start messing with the DNA, according to the FBI with you.



In 2006, the FBI was created Directorate of weapons of mass destruction, and it department dealing with biological crimes. His job is to prevent acts of bioterrorism and countering biohakingu. In each of the 56 FBI offices scattered across the country, there is at least one person trained in biosecurity. In 2013, a group biohacking was invited to a meeting with the FBI in California, where they were interviewed on the subject of what they are doing and why. The outreach program is part of the training program, to find a balance between promoting the involvement of citizens in the science of preventing the emergence of a deadly virus.

Steve Kurtz - a professor of art at the University of New York at Buffalo. In 2004, he and his wife were preparing for an art exhibition at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. Kurtz's wife died suddenly due to heart failure, and when her husband called 911, the Group's profit noticed petri dishes prepared for the exhibition. Kurtz was arrested, and his wife's body has withdrawn the coroner for further analysis. Group to combat biological terrorism, including representatives of the Ministry of Defense, Center for counter-terrorism and National Security Agency, conducted a search of his home and office. His house was declared pose a health risk, and this continued until now, a week later, the health commissioner of New York has completed testing of samples and concluded that they are not dangerous. Only after that Kurtz returned to his wife's body. Even the cat was confiscated Kurtz as a possible carrier of the disease.

10. So what are the potential risks? While many biohacking say that organizations such as the FBI overreact to the potential dangers, others are trying to show how the subcutaneous implants may be used for evil. US Navy Petty Officer Seth Vale took the chip which was originally to be used to monitor the movement of cattle and sewed it into his hand. Now it can be found everywhere, wherever he was.





Vale has demonstrated that the chip can be equipped with NFC-antenna, which sends a signal to any Android-phone, located nearby. The phone offers the user to open the file, and once he clicks on the link, the remote computer has full control over the phone. All this is still in its infancy, but the principle is clear.

Perhaps the most difficult to detect it. Vale was in the military when implanted a chip. He said that every day passing through military scanners, along with systems and airport security checkpoints. No one ever did not find that it has an implanted device that can give control over any Android-based phone.

via listverse.com/2015/05/20/10-things-you-should-know-about-biohacking/