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Creating the "Perfect" Child & playing god? The Dark History of Designer Babies

Bailey Sarian・38 minutes read

Build-A-Bear allows customers to customize features like smell, heart, and voice, while the history of creating perfect babies has evolved over the last century with instances like the Better Babies Contest. The text also delves into the controversial topic of designer babies, exploring issues of eugenics, societal impacts, and ethical considerations surrounding genetic editing technologies like Crisper.

Insights

  • The evolution of the concept of creating perfect babies has a dark history, from historical instances like Stalin being approached as a sperm donor to the controversial Repository for Germinal Choice, aiming to create a super race of genius humans, facing accusations of racism and closure in 1999.
  • The advancement of gene-editing technology like Crisper Therapeutics allows for the potential creation of designer babies with specific traits like eye color and intelligence, but raises concerns about accessibility, societal impacts, and ethical questions regarding the long-term consequences of DNA editing.

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Recent questions

  • What is the concept of designer babies?

    Designer babies involve editing DNA for specific traits.

  • How did the Nazis use eugenics?

    Nazis used eugenics to create a master race.

  • What was the Repository for Germinal Choice?

    The Repository aimed to create a super race.

  • What is the legacy of designer babies?

    The legacy raises ethical questions about genetic editing.

  • How does Crisper technology work?

    Crisper edits DNA to remove or add genetic information.

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Summary

00:00

"Creating Perfect Babies: From Past to Present"

  • Build-A-Bear offers custom options like smell, heart, and voice, allowing customers to get exactly what they want.
  • The concept of building a perfect baby has evolved over the last 100 years, from baby competitions to designing eye color and skin tone.
  • Historical instances like Stalin being approached as a sperm donor and Jeffrey Epstein's plan to create a squad of Genius children are discussed.
  • The term "eugenics" is introduced, originating from Francis Galton, who believed in genetically improving the human population.
  • The Nazis used eugenics to create a master race, while America had a more family-friendly approach to the concept.
  • The Better Babies Contest at the Louisiana State Fair in 1908 involved weighing babies and determining the ideal baby based on scientific criteria.
  • By the 1970s, scientists aimed to create perfect children without relying on parents, leading to the idea of designer babies.
  • Robert K. Graham, a millionaire, founded a sperm bank called the Repository for Germinal Choice, only accepting donations from elite individuals.
  • The repository aimed to create a super race of genius humans by selecting sperm donors like Nobel prize-winning scientists.
  • The LA Times exposed the Repository for Germinal Choice in 1980, revealing its secretive operations to the public.

16:44

Controversial Repository: Eugenics, Nobel Prize, and Legacy.

  • The idea of creating an ideal race led to comparisons with Nazi eugenics, causing shock and offense.
  • Nobel Prize-winning donors withdrew from the project, fearing accusations of creating a master race.
  • Accusations of attempting to create designer babies arose, leading to protests and security measures.
  • Only one Nobel Prize winner, William Ashley, admitted to donating sperm, known for inventing transistors.
  • Ashley held racist beliefs, advocating for sterilization of those he deemed inferior.
  • The repository faced backlash, losing credibility and facing accusations of racism.
  • The repository's closure in 1999 was met with relief by those who saw it as a racist experiment.
  • Records of the repository disappeared, leaving the genius children born from it unable to connect with their biological fathers.
  • Writer David Plots tracked down almost 30 of the genius children, finding varying levels of success among them.
  • The legacy of designer babies continued with Jeffrey Epstein, inspired by Robert Graham, aiming to impregnate multiple women with his sperm.

33:38

"Dipsy App Offers Weekly Genre Stories"

  • The app Dipsy offers a variety of genres and releases new chapters weekly, such as the story "Rowan Plus You Together in a Tent," involving a Prince finding the listener after battle and expressing overwhelming passion.
  • Dipsy provides an extended 30-day free trial at DipsyStories.com/darkhistory, allowing full access to their content.
  • Crisper Therapeutics is a gene editing company with technology to edit DNA, potentially removing genes linked to diseases like breast cancer.
  • Crisper can also add new genetic information to DNA, paving the way for designing specific traits in babies like eye color, height, and intelligence.
  • Procedures using Crisper can cost between $1 to $3 million per treatment, raising concerns about accessibility and potential societal impacts.
  • There are fears that using Crisper may lead to new Eugenics movements, creating a divide between enhanced individuals and the rest of society.
  • The designer baby movement aims to eliminate genetic diseases but raises ethical questions about the long-term consequences of editing DNA.
  • Crisper technology is also used to help older individuals overcome diseases, showcasing both the potential benefits and risks of genetic editing.
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