Superhumans?

A new study found that the majority of people are scared to use technology that could make their minds sharper, bodies healthier and muscles stronger.

17:18 27 July 2016

A recent research involving 4,700 US adults has revealed that the majority of people are scared of integrating technology into the human body to achieve shaper minds, healthier body and stronger muscles. More people said they would not want enhancements of their brains and blood, while women tended to be more wary than men about the potential enhancements from cutting-edge technologies.

Lead author Cary Funk, from Pew Research Center, based in Washington DC, said: 'Developments in biomedical technologies are accelerating rapidly, raising new societal debates about how we will use these technologies and what uses are appropriate,' 

'This study suggests Americans are largely cautious about using emerging technologies in ways that push human capacities beyond what's been possible before.'

 

Most adults that were surveyed were concerned that the benefits of such enhancements could outweigh the benefits for society. 

Professor Michael Bess said: 'Many people will probably adopt enhancement technologies in order to boost their physical and mental capacities, and they will do so to varying degrees and in all sorts of combinations, leading to a bewilderingly broad array of "super human" beings,'

'I am both excited and frightened at the prospect of such modified humans coming into being.'