[ExI] Human Body redesign (Was: extropy-chat Digest, Vol 179, Issue 29)

[Ben Zaiboc]

BillK wrote:
> Back in June 2018 BBC TV showed a 1hr 30m documentary about
> redesigning the human body, with rather weird results.
> An article describing the redesign is here:
> <https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2018-06-13/this-is-what-the-perfect-body-looks-like-according-to-science/>
>
> The film is not currently available from the BBC, but a search offers
> various download and torrent sites if you want to watch it.

That's not really what I'm talking about. First, there's no such thing 
as 'perfect', especially when applied to bodies. Second, this just 
mashes together existing features found in various animals, with little 
actual reasoning behind it. it hardly qualifies as a 'design'. Third, 
there's no mention of how this, if it was desirable, could be 
accomplished. Fourth, it's purely biological, and doesn't really 
represent much (or any) of an advance on what we have now. Fifth, 
there's no detail at all (skin that can change colour, fine. But how 
does it work? How is it controlled? How does this relate to the other 
functions of skin, etc., etc.). Sixth, there's no mention of how someone 
could actually achieve such a body, and Seven, it's basically just a 
freak show designed to get people to watch a TV programme, with very 
little actual science or engineering behind it.

Oh, and apologies for making a mess of the topic title. Again.

-- 
Ben Zaiboc