Brian Clegg

Upgrade Me Brian Clegg

In biological terms human beings haven't evolved in 100,000 years - but thanks to our amazing brains, we are able to upgrade ourselves to add capabilities that have taken other creatures millions of years to evolve. Thanks to this 'unnatural' evolution, we are already Human 2.0. In an effort to live longer, become more attractive to the opposite sex, be better able to defend ourselves, make the most of our brains, repair damaged bodies, we have transformed ourselves. To do this, we have done many things: created artificial skin in the form of clothing, for instance. In the future we will clone human organs for transplants, and use nanotechnology to provide support for failing functions in the human body. Now, with a better understanding of the mechanisms of the body, cloning, gene therapy, bionics and other technologies, the rate at which we are changing is becoming ever faster. This process of upgrading is nothing new. It has been around for millennia, and it raises some challenging questions, such as: -What will the future hold for us-Will our drive to upgrade continue to give positive benefits or will it result in the destruction of humanity?-Where is our evolutionary survival headed?Sure to cause much debate, Upgrade Me is science writer Brian Clegg's ambitious and brilliant account of humanity's need to upgrade.