[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:02.76,0:00:04.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here's a question that matters.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:04.88,0:00:06.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[Is it ethical to evolve the human body?]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.88,0:00:10.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because we're beginning to get all\Nthe tools together to evolve ourselves.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.40,0:00:12.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we can evolve bacteria\Nand we can evolve plants
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.84,0:00:14.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we can evolve animals,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.28,0:00:17.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we're now reaching a point\Nwhere we really have to ask,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.12,0:00:19.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is it really ethical\Nand do we want to evolve human beings?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.44,0:00:23.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And as you're thinking about that,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.36,0:00:27.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,let me talk about that\Nin the context of prosthetics,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.12,0:00:29.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,prosthetics past, present, future.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.92,0:00:32.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this is the iron hand
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.52,0:00:34.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that belonged to one of the German counts.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.88,0:00:39.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Loved to fight, lost his arm\Nin one of these battles.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.32,0:00:41.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No problem, he just made a suit of armor,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.80,0:00:43.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,put it on,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.16,0:00:44.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,perfect prosthetic.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.44,0:00:48.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's where the concept\Nof ruling with an iron fist comes from.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.60,0:00:53.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And of course these prosthetics\Nhave been getting more and more useful,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.08,0:00:54.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,more and more modern.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.36,0:00:56.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can hold soft-boiled eggs.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.84,0:01:00.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can have all types of controls,\Nand as you're thinking about that,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.36,0:01:02.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there are wonderful people like Hugh Herr
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.40,0:01:05.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who have been building\Nabsolutely extraordinary prosthetics.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.72,0:01:08.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the wonderful Aimee Mullins\Nwill go out and say,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.56,0:01:10.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how tall do I want to be tonight?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.04,0:01:13.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or Hugh will say what type of cliff\Ndo I want to climb?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.96,0:01:18.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or does somebody want to run a marathon,\Nor does somebody want to ballroom dance?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.48,0:01:20.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And as you adapt these things,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.48,0:01:24.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the interesting thing about prosthetics\Nis they've been coming inside the body.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.64,0:01:27.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So these external prosthetics\Nhave now become artificial knees.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.64,0:01:29.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They've become artificial hips.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.72,0:01:31.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then they've evolved further
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.96,0:01:33.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to become not just nice to have
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.00,0:01:35.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but essential to have.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.92,0:01:39.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So when you're talking\Nabout a heart pacemaker as a prosthetic,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.80,0:01:43.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you're talking about something\Nthat isn't just, "I'm missing my leg,"
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.52,0:01:45.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's, "if I don't have this, I can die."
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.96,0:01:50.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And at that point, a prosthetic\Nbecomes a symbiotic relationship
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.08,0:01:51.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the human body.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.56,0:01:55.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And four of the smartest people\Nthat I've ever met --
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.12,0:02:00.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ed Boyden, Hugh Herr,\NJoe Jacobson, Bob Lander --
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.40,0:02:02.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are working on a Center\Nfor Extreme Bionics.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.00,0:02:05.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the interesting thing\Nof what you're seeing here is
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.64,0:02:08.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these prosthetics\Nnow get integrated into the bone.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.08,0:02:09.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They get integrated into the skin.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.76,0:02:11.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They get integrated into the muscle.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.36,0:02:15.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And one of the other sides of Ed
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.36,0:02:18.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is he's been thinking\Nabout how to connect the brain
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.28,0:02:20.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,using light or other mechanisms
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.00,0:02:23.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,directly to things like these prosthetics.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.52,0:02:25.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if you can do that,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.80,0:02:29.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then you can begin changing\Nfundamental aspects of humanity.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.84,0:02:33.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So how quickly you react to something\Ndepends on the diameter of a nerve.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.92,0:02:38.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And of course, if you have nerves\Nthat are external or prosthetic,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.60,0:02:41.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,say with light or liquid metal,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.28,0:02:43.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then you can increase that diameter
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.00,0:02:47.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you could even increase it\Ntheoretically to the point where,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.08,0:02:51.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as long as you could see the muzzle flash,\Nyou could step out of the way of a bullet.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.84,0:02:54.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Those are the order of magnitude\Nof changes you're talking about.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.20,0:02:58.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a fourth\Nsort of level of prosthetics.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.80,0:03:01.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These are Phonak hearing aids,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.36,0:03:03.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the reason\Nwhy these are so interesting
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.44,0:03:06.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is because they cross the threshold\Nfrom where prosthetics are something
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.88,0:03:08.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for somebody who is "disabled"
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.56,0:03:13.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they become something\Nthat somebody who is "normal"
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.64,0:03:15.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,might want to actually have,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.56,0:03:18.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because what this prosthetic does,\Nwhich is really interesting,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:18.56,0:03:20.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is not only does it help you hear,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.24,0:03:21.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can focus your hearing,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.60,0:03:24.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so it can hear the conversation\Ngoing on over there.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.08,0:03:25.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can have superhearing.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.36,0:03:28.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can have hearing in 360 degrees.\NYou can have white noise.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.32,0:03:31.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can record, and oh, by the way,\Nthey also put a phone into this.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.44,0:03:35.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this functions as your hearing aid\Nand also as your phone.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.92,0:03:41.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And at that point, somebody might actually\Nwant to have a prosthetic voluntarily.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.40,0:03:45.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All of these thousands\Nof loosely connected little pieces
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.12,0:03:46.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are coming together,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.12,0:03:49.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's about time we ask the question,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.08,0:03:52.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how do we want to evolve human beings\Nover the next century or two?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.64,0:03:55.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And for that we turn\Nto a great philosopher
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.92,0:03:59.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who was a very smart man\Ndespite being a Yankee fan.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.00,0:04:01.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.80,0:04:06.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And Yogi Berra used to say, of course,\Nthat it's very tough to make predictions,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.64,0:04:08.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,especially about the future.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.04,0:04:09.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.16,0:04:12.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So instead of making a prediction\Nabout the future to begin with,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.24,0:04:15.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,let's take what's happening in the present\Nwith people like Tony Atala,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.60,0:04:17.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who is redesigning 30-some-odd organs.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.20,0:04:22.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And maybe the ultimate prosthetic\Nisn't having something external, titanium.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.80,0:04:25.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe the ultimate prosthetic\Nis take your own gene code,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.52,0:04:26.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,remake your own body parts,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:27.92,0:04:31.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because that's a whole lot more effective\Nthan any kind of a prosthetic.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:32.44,0:04:36.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But while you're at it, then you can take\Nthe work of Craig Venter and Ham Smith.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:36.48,0:04:38.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And one of the things\Nthat we've been doing
Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.56,0:04:41.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is trying to figure out\Nhow to reprogram cells.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.28,0:04:43.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if you can reprogram a cell,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.88,0:04:46.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then you can change the cells\Nin those organs.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:47.40,0:04:49.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So if you can change\Nthe cells in those organs,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:49.64,0:04:52.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,maybe you make those organs\Nmore radiation-resistant.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.16,0:04:54.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe you make them absorb more oxygen.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.08,0:04:55.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe you make them more efficient
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.76,0:04:58.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to filter out stuff\Nthat you don't want in your body.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.44,0:05:03.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And over the last few weeks,\NGeorge Church has been in the news a lot
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.12,0:05:06.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because he's been talking about taking\None of these programmable cells
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.44,0:05:08.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and inserting an entire human genome
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.20,0:05:09.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,into that cell.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:10.48,0:05:14.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And once you can insert\Nan entire human genome into a cell,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.32,0:05:16.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then you begin to ask the question,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.48,0:05:19.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,would you want\Nto enhance any of that genome?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.44,0:05:23.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Do you want to enhance a human body?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:23.80,0:05:26.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How would you want\Nto enhance a human body?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.12,0:05:28.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Where is it ethical\Nto enhance a human body
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.24,0:05:31.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and where is it not ethical\Nto enhance a human body?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.52,0:05:33.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And all of a sudden, what we're doing
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.44,0:05:36.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is we've got this\Nmultidimensional chess board
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.40,0:05:39.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where we can change\Nhuman genetics by using viruses
Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.68,0:05:41.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to attack things like AIDS,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.12,0:05:44.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or we can change the gene code\Nthrough gene therapy
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.56,0:05:47.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to do away with some hereditary diseases,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.52,0:05:49.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or we can change the environment,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:49.16,0:05:51.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and change the expression\Nof those genes in the epigenome
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.85,0:05:53.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and pass that on to the next generations.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.32,0:05:58.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And all of a sudden,\Nit's not just one little bit,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.48,0:06:00.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's all these stacked little bits
Dialogue: 0,0:06:00.36,0:06:02.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that allow you\Nto take little portions of it
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.28,0:06:05.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,until all the portions coming together
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.16,0:06:08.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lead you to something\Nthat's very different.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.60,0:06:12.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And a lot of people\Nare very scared by this stuff.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:12.36,0:06:15.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it does sound scary,\Nand there are risks to this stuff.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.04,0:06:18.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So why in the world would you\Never want to do this stuff?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:18.76,0:06:21.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why would we really want\Nto alter the human body
Dialogue: 0,0:06:21.80,0:06:23.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in a fundamental way?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.04,0:06:27.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The answer lies in part
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.36,0:06:28.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with Lord Rees,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:29.24,0:06:30.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,astronomer royal of Great Britain.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:32.56,0:06:36.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And one of his favorite sayings\Nis the universe is 100 percent malevolent.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:36.40,0:06:37.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what does that mean?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.64,0:06:40.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It means if you take\Nany one of your bodies at random,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.56,0:06:42.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,drop it anywhere in the universe,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:42.48,0:06:44.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,drop it in space, you die.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:44.72,0:06:46.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Drop it on the Sun, you die.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.12,0:06:48.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Drop it on the surface\Nof Mercury, you die.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.16,0:06:49.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Drop it near a supernova, you die.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.24,0:06:53.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But fortunately, it's only\Nabout 80 percent effective.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:54.64,0:06:56.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So as a great physicist once said,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.00,0:07:02.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's these little\Nupstream eddies of biology
Dialogue: 0,0:07:02.16,0:07:06.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that create order\Nin this rapid torrent of entropy.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:08.08,0:07:11.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So as the universe dissipates energy,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:11.08,0:07:14.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's these upstream eddies\Nthat create biological order.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:15.96,0:07:18.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, the problem with eddies is,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:18.40,0:07:19.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they tend to disappear.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.92,0:07:21.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They shift. They move in rivers.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:22.68,0:07:24.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And because of that, when an eddy shifts,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:24.68,0:07:28.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when the Earth becomes a snowball,\Nwhen the Earth becomes very hot,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:28.24,0:07:31.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when the Earth gets hit by an asteroid,\Nwhen you have supervolcanoes,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.52,0:07:33.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when you have solar flares,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:33.40,0:07:36.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when you have potentially\Nextinction-level events
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.76,0:07:37.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like the next election --
Dialogue: 0,0:07:38.00,0:07:40.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.44,0:07:44.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then all of a sudden,\Nyou can have periodic extinctions.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:45.40,0:07:47.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And by the way, that's happened\Nfive times on Earth,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.36,0:07:50.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and therefore it is very likely
Dialogue: 0,0:07:50.48,0:07:53.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that the human species on Earth\Nis going to go extinct someday.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:54.44,0:07:55.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not next week,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:55.96,0:07:57.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not next month,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:57.80,0:08:00.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,maybe in November,\Nbut maybe 10,000 years after that.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.88,0:08:04.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As you're thinking\Nof the consequence of that,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.72,0:08:08.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if you believe that extinctions\Nare common and natural
Dialogue: 0,0:08:08.16,0:08:10.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and normal and occur periodically,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:10.48,0:08:13.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it becomes a moral imperative\Nto diversify our species.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:14.52,0:08:16.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it becomes a moral imperative
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.16,0:08:19.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because it's going to be\Nreally hard to live on Mars
Dialogue: 0,0:08:19.16,0:08:21.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if we don't fundamentally\Nmodify the human body.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:22.88,0:08:24.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Right?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:24.12,0:08:25.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You go from one cell,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:25.48,0:08:27.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,mom and dad coming together\Nto make one cell,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:27.72,0:08:29.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in a cascade to 10 trillion cells.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.92,0:08:34.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We don't know, if you change\Nthe gravity substantially,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:34.40,0:08:36.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if the same thing will happen\Nto create your body.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:38.16,0:08:41.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We do know that if you expose\Nour bodies as they currently are
Dialogue: 0,0:08:41.24,0:08:43.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to a lot of radiation, we will die.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:45.04,0:08:48.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So as you're thinking of that,\Nyou have to really redesign things
Dialogue: 0,0:08:48.12,0:08:49.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just to get to Mars.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.40,0:08:52.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Forget about the moons\Nof Neptune or Jupiter.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.00,0:08:55.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And to borrow from Nikolai Kardashev,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:55.48,0:08:57.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,let's think about life\Nin a series of scales.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.68,0:09:00.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So Life One civilization
Dialogue: 0,0:09:00.20,0:09:03.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is a civilization that begins\Nto alter his or her looks.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:04.08,0:09:06.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we've been doing that\Nfor thousands of years.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:06.40,0:09:09.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You've got tummy tucks\Nand you've got this and you've got that.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:10.28,0:09:12.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You alter your looks, and I'm told
Dialogue: 0,0:09:12.72,0:09:16.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that not all of those alterations\Ntake place for medical reasons.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:16.68,0:09:18.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:09:18.76,0:09:19.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Seems odd.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:20.36,0:09:22.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A Life Two civilization\Nis a different civilization.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:24.32,0:09:28.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A Life Two civilization alters\Nfundamental aspects of the body.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:29.84,0:09:32.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you put human growth hormone in,\Nthe person grows taller,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:32.72,0:09:36.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or you put x in and the person\Ngets fatter or loses metabolism
Dialogue: 0,0:09:36.68,0:09:38.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or does a whole series of things,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:38.32,0:09:41.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but you're altering the functions\Nin a fundamental way.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:41.04,0:09:43.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To become an intrasolar civilization,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:43.68,0:09:46.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we're going to have to create\Na Life Three civilization,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:47.72,0:09:50.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that looks very different\Nfrom what we've got here.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:50.84,0:09:53.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe you splice in\NDeinococcus radiodurans
Dialogue: 0,0:09:53.08,0:09:57.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that the cells can resplice\Nafter a lot of exposure to radiation.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:58.32,0:10:01.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe you breathe by having oxygen\Nflow through your blood
Dialogue: 0,0:10:01.36,0:10:02.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,instead of through your lungs.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:03.60,0:10:06.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But you're talking about\Nreally radical redesigns,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:07.48,0:10:10.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and one of the interesting things\Nthat's happened in the last decade
Dialogue: 0,0:10:10.72,0:10:13.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is we've discovered\Na whole lot of planets out there.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:13.48,0:10:15.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And some of them may be Earth-like.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:17.44,0:10:21.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The problem is, if we ever\Nwant to get to these planets,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:21.08,0:10:22.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the fastest human objects --
Dialogue: 0,0:10:22.76,0:10:25.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Juno and Voyager\Nand the rest of this stuff --
Dialogue: 0,0:10:25.36,0:10:27.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,take tens of thousands of years
Dialogue: 0,0:10:27.88,0:10:30.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to get from here\Nto the nearest solar system.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:30.72,0:10:33.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So if you want to start exploring\Nbeaches somewhere else,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:34.40,0:10:36.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or you want to see two-sun sunsets,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:37.84,0:10:40.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then you're talking\Nabout something that is very different,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:41.00,0:10:46.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because you have to change\Nthe timescale and the body of humans
Dialogue: 0,0:10:46.08,0:10:49.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in ways which may be\Nabsolutely unrecognizable.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.00,0:10:51.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's a Life Four civilization.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:53.72,0:10:56.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, we can't even begin\Nto imagine what that might look like,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:56.68,0:10:59.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but we're beginning to get glimpses
Dialogue: 0,0:10:59.04,0:11:02.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of instruments that might\Ntake us even that far.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:02.96,0:11:04.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And let me give you two examples.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:04.60,0:11:06.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this is the wonderful Floyd Romesberg,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:07.20,0:11:09.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and one of the things\Nthat Floyd's been doing
Dialogue: 0,0:11:09.36,0:11:11.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is he's been playing\Nwith the basic chemistry of life.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:11.92,0:11:16.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So all life on this planet\Nis made in ATCGs, the four letters of DNA.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:16.80,0:11:19.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All bacteria, all plants,\Nall animals, all humans, all cows,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:19.96,0:11:21.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,everything else.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:22.44,0:11:26.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what Floyd did is he changed out\Ntwo of those base pairs,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:26.64,0:11:28.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so it's ATXY.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.76,0:11:35.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that means that you now have\Na parallel system to make life,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:35.48,0:11:39.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to make babies, to reproduce, to evolve,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:39.80,0:11:41.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that doesn't mate\Nwith most things on Earth
Dialogue: 0,0:11:42.00,0:11:43.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or in fact maybe with nothing on Earth.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:44.88,0:11:47.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe you make plants\Nthat are immune to all bacteria.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:47.44,0:11:49.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe you make plants\Nthat are immune to all viruses.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:49.96,0:11:51.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But why is that so interesting?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:51.52,0:11:54.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It means that we\Nare not a unique solution.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:55.40,0:11:59.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It means you can create\Nalternate chemistries to us
Dialogue: 0,0:11:59.16,0:12:03.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that could be chemistries\Nadaptable to a very different planet
Dialogue: 0,0:12:04.00,0:12:06.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that could create life and heredity.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:08.12,0:12:09.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The second experiment,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:10.48,0:12:12.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or the other implication\Nof this experiment,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:13.36,0:12:17.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that all of you, all life\Nis based on 20 amino acids.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:17.60,0:12:20.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you don't substitute two amino acids,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:20.08,0:12:25.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if you don't say ATXY,\Nif you say ATCG + XY,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:25.68,0:12:28.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then you go from\N20 building blocks to 172,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:29.52,0:12:32.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and all of a sudden you've got\N172 building blocks of amino acids
Dialogue: 0,0:12:32.68,0:12:35.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to build life-forms\Nin very different shapes.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:37.48,0:12:40.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The second experiment to think about\Nis a really weird experiment
Dialogue: 0,0:12:40.56,0:12:42.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's been taking place in China.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:43.92,0:12:47.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this guy has been transplanting\Nhundreds of mouse heads.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:48.92,0:12:50.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Right?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:50.32,0:12:52.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And why is that an interesting experiment?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:53.44,0:12:55.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, think of the first\Nheart transplants.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:55.52,0:12:57.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of the things they used to do
Dialogue: 0,0:12:57.16,0:13:00.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is they used to bring in\Nthe wife or the daughter of the donor
Dialogue: 0,0:13:00.72,0:13:04.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so the donee could tell the doctors,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:04.64,0:13:07.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Do you recognize this person?\NDo you love this person?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:07.28,0:13:09.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Do you feel anything for this person?"
Dialogue: 0,0:13:09.16,0:13:10.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We laugh about that today.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:11.56,0:13:13.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We laugh because we know\Nthe heart is a muscle,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:13.80,0:13:17.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but for hundreds of thousands of years,\Nor tens of thousands of years,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:17.32,0:13:20.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"I gave her my heart.\NShe took my heart. She broke my heart."
Dialogue: 0,0:13:20.24,0:13:21.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We thought this was emotion
Dialogue: 0,0:13:21.64,0:13:24.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we thought maybe emotions\Nwere transplanted with the heart. Nope.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:26.00,0:13:27.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So how about the brain?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:29.04,0:13:31.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Two possible outcomes to this experiment.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:31.88,0:13:34.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you can get a mouse
Dialogue: 0,0:13:34.32,0:13:35.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that is functional,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:35.96,0:13:37.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then you can see,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:38.04,0:13:39.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is the new brain a blank slate?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:41.28,0:13:43.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And boy, does that have implications.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:45.12,0:13:46.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Second option:
Dialogue: 0,0:13:46.80,0:13:48.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the new mouse recognizes Minnie Mouse.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:49.76,0:13:51.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The new mouse\Nremembers what it's afraid of,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:51.88,0:13:53.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,remembers how to navigate the maze,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:53.60,0:13:54.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if that is true,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:56.04,0:13:59.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then you can transplant\Nmemory and consciousness.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:01.08,0:14:03.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then the really\Ninteresting question is,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:03.52,0:14:07.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if you can transplant this,\Nis the only input-output mechanism
Dialogue: 0,0:14:07.48,0:14:08.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this down here?
Dialogue: 0,0:14:09.44,0:14:12.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or could you transplant\Nthat consciousness into something
Dialogue: 0,0:14:12.16,0:14:14.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that would be very different,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:14.16,0:14:15.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that would last in space,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:15.44,0:14:17.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that would last\Ntens of thousands of years,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:17.52,0:14:19.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that would be a completely redesigned body
Dialogue: 0,0:14:19.54,0:14:23.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that could hold consciousness\Nfor a long, long period of time?
Dialogue: 0,0:14:26.04,0:14:28.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And let's come back to the first question:
Dialogue: 0,0:14:28.56,0:14:30.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Why would you ever want to do that?
Dialogue: 0,0:14:32.32,0:14:33.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, I'll tell you why.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:33.60,0:14:35.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because this is the ultimate selfie.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:36.00,0:14:37.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:14:38.44,0:14:41.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is taken from six billion miles away,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:42.04,0:14:43.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that's Earth.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:44.80,0:14:46.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's all of us.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:47.24,0:14:50.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if that little thing goes,\Nall of humanity goes.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:52.32,0:14:54.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the reason you want\Nto alter the human body
Dialogue: 0,0:14:54.56,0:14:57.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is because you eventually\Nwant a picture that says,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:57.36,0:14:59.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's us, and that's us,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:59.32,0:15:00.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that's us,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:00.76,0:15:03.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because that's the way humanity\Nsurvives long-term extinction.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:05.44,0:15:07.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's the reason why it turns out
Dialogue: 0,0:15:07.72,0:15:11.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's actually unethical\Nnot to evolve the human body
Dialogue: 0,0:15:11.68,0:15:15.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even though it can be scary,\Neven though it can be challenging,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:15.04,0:15:18.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it's what's going\Nto allow us to explore, live
Dialogue: 0,0:15:18.44,0:15:20.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and get to places\Nwe can't even dream of today,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:21.76,0:15:25.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but which our great-great-great-great-\Ngrandchildren might someday.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:25.52,0:15:26.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you very much.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:26.76,0:15:32.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)