Themes that pervade my Sci-Fi novels.

Posted on by Opher

All my writing has purpose. I like to base my work on sound science, social and environmental reality, human psychology and philosophy.

I am intrigued by the concept of infinity, by quantum theory, string theory, black holes and quasars.

As a biologist I studied genetics and have kept up with the developments in genetic engineering. I am intrigued with the idea of how this could impact on human development and that of all other living creatures and plants. We now have the power to change, improve or create both ourselves and the plants and animals we share this planet with. We can create different human beings, different species and a different world.

I studied psychology as part of my degree and found this incredibly useful in education. I also apply it to my writing. It is useful to build characters around psychological traits and personality types.

Living through the twentieth century has provided me with a great perspective on social change. I doubt any other century has seen such a degree of transformation. Science propelled a social revolution that changed the world. That is a useful element to draw into my writing. What changes are going to shape our progress? What will a future world look like?

As a biologist I have been greatly distressed by the impact mankind has been having on the environment. Extinction rates have soared as humans destroy habitat and pollute ecosystems. Our sheer numbers are swamping nature. Once the world was considered infinite and nature something to be exploited without thought. We now realize this is not the case. Even our primitive hunter/gatherer ancestors greatly impacted on the environment. Now we have the capacity to destroy it to a far greater extent. If our numbers and activities are not regulated we may well ruin the very life-support system that sustains us. It is a theme that occurs in most of my work.

What is the purpose of life? It is a question most of us ask at some point and it is one that has a basis in my writing. Whether it be spirituality or creativity, accruing material wealth or power, or seeking truth, wisdom, happiness or fulfilment, it is one of the factors that drives human beings. It is a theme worth developing. It brings people into conflict.

Whether setting the action in the future, in a different dimension or an alien world, these are themes that I tend to enjoy exploring.

Hasn’t Genetic Engineering been around for thousands of years.

Posted on by Opher

Haven’t we always been doing genetic engineering for thousands of years? Didn’t we just call it selective breeding?

Yes we have been doing this with animals and plants (and even humans sometimes) with various techniques of selective breeding. We have selected the genes we want. But this has been a slow and uncertain business and perfection is not possible.
It would be possible, over many generations, for humans to breed for selection of intelligence. At the end of that we would undoubtedly have more intelligent offspring but they would not be optimal.
Intelligence is 80% genetic. There are around 500 genes involves in a polygene system. All of those genes would each have a number of alleles (maybe up to ten alleles each – I’m guessing). To get maximum intelligence the top allele would have to be selected for each one of those genes. The chances of doing that through selective breeding would be nigh on impossible – even if you went through a hundred generations of careful selective breeding.
With genetic engineering it would be possible to insert the optimum allele into each one of those genes. You could produce a human with the greatest possible intelligence in one single generation.
I think that is a bit different to anything we’ve done in the past. It is like comparing an old biplane with the Space Shuttle.

Genetic engineering has opened up new possibilities – not just for intelligence but all other aspects of human attributes and possibly even behaviours.

Genetic Engineering – Good or Bad?

Posted on by Opher

As a Biologist I like Genetic Engineering.

We now have the technology to insert genes. We can take a gene from any organism and insert it into another. We have successfully inserted luminescence genes from jellyfish into pigs who ended up with luminescent noses.

Just think – we could take a chloroplast producing gene, paste it into all animals and they would produce their own food, absorb carbon dioxide and give out oxygen. Well actually they wouldn’t. But they would reduce their food needs and give out less carbon dioxide.

We can replace defective human genes and replace them with working genes and thus eradicate all those horrendous genetic diseases.

We can put genes into crops that enable them to grow in arid conditions.

We can introduce genes that hugely increase the crop yield.

We can put in genes into crops that give resistance to disease and pests and thus no longer need expensive, dangerous pesticide sprays or herbicides. That would save our beleaguered insects. At the moment our bees, butterflies and flying insects are being massacred.

We could bring back to life extinct animals. Jurassic Park is becoming possible.

Of course there are many health and ethical issues to consider. We now have the power to engineer the perfect children. We could select for intelligence, looks and height as well as gender. But would that ever be desirable? Do we want designer babies?

Then there are the other considerations. Would the genes were engineer in be spread to other plants around? Would the chemicals produced in our crops to give them immunity have health risks for humans?

What are the risks?

Every time there is a new development there is a knee-jerk reaction against it. We don’t like change. And scientists, or at least the companies that employ them, do not do themselves any favours. They cut corners, lie, deny any wrong-doing and cover up their disasters. The nuclear industry is a good example. It undermines trust. People do not believe them.

GM is a good example too. Is it being rushed out too quickly? Is it safe? Are the huge companies just looking at the profit line?

Well, for me, I think GM is the future. We need a full and open debate about safety and ethics. But I am excited by the prospects it opens up. I think it is the start of a revolution that could be extremely beneficial for us and for nature.