This table of contents is a detailed look at what you can expect to read in the new book Super You: How Technology is Revolutionizing What it Means to be Human. It features the latest trends and data on transhumanism, nanotechnology , medical breakthroughs, longevity, robotics, genetics and the technology Singularity.
Foreword
by Zoltan Istvan, Transhumanist Party founder & Presidential candidate
Introduction
The Confronting Nature of Becoming Super
1 The Emergence of (You) the Human Machine
Thumbs Up to Opposable Thumbs……………………………………………….10
Is Evolution Obsolete?………………………………………………………………..11
Is Technology the New Evolution?……………………………………………….13
How Logarithmic Improvements Will Change Your Life…………………………..14
How the Technology Singularity Will Change Your Life…………………………..21
2 Baby Science: How to Conceive a Tennis Star and Other Procreative Miracles
Baby Technologies………………………………………………………………27
Baby Food………………………………………………………………………..27
Ultrasound Technology ………………………………………………………….31
3D and 4D Ultrasound………………………………………………………………….31
Smartphone-Based Ultrasound………………………………………………………32
The Future of Ultrasound…………………………………………………………….32
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound…………………………………………33
Magneto Acoustic Imaging ………………………………………………………….33
Birth Control Technologies………………………………………………………………..33
Types of Birth Control…………………………………………………………………..34
The Future of Birth Control ………………………………………………………………37
Remote Control Birth Control……………………………………………………37
Male Contraception………………………………………………………………………..38
Curing Mr. Happy …………………………………………………………………39
Baby-Making Technologies………………………………………………………………..42
The First Test Tube Baby………………………………………………………………42
The Future of Reproduction Technology ……………………………………..45
Next Generation DNA Sequencing…………………………………………..45
Baby-Saving Technologies…………………………………………………….47
Stem Cells from Cord Blood……………………………………………………….47
Genome Sequencing……………………………………………………………………….48
Nanotechnology for Babies…………………………………………………………………49
3D Printing to Save Babies……………………………………………………..51
Designer Babies……………………………………………………………………52
Gender Selection…………………………………………………………..54
Nature’s Method…………………………………………………………..54
Amniocentesis……………………………………………………………………….55
The Ericsson Method …………………………………………………………56
Sperm Spinning………………………………………………………………56
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis………………………………………….57
The Fertility Doctor, the Media, and the Vatican……………………….58
Genetically Engineered Babies………………………………………………..61
Testing 1, 2, 3…Is Your Baby Genetically Healthy?………………….62
Daddy, Mommy, and Your Extra Mommy…………………………………….64
Pregnant Men?…………………………………………………………………..66
The First “Pregnant Man”……………………………………………………………..66
The Future of Male Pregnancy …………………………………………………..67
Lab-Grown Vaginas………………………………………………………………………..67
From Birth to Forever…………………………………………………………………………..68
3 Beauty Hacks: Becoming Barbie, a Lizard, or Whatever You Want to Be
Cosmetic Surgery Trends in America………………………………………………..73
Lizardman …………………………………………………………………………75
Extreme Cosmetic Hall of Fame ………………………………………………………78
Valeria Lukyanova—“Real Life Barbie” ……………………………………………78
Justin Jedlica—“The Human Ken Doll”……………………………………………..79
Maria Jose Cristerna—“Vampire Mom”…………………………………………79
Patricia Krentcil—“Tanning Mom”………………………………………………….79
Lacey Wildd—Largest Breasts………………………………………………………….80
ORLAN—Performance Artist…………………………………………………………..80
Cosmetic Enhancements, Non-Weird Edition……………………………………81
Cosmeceuticals………………………………………………………………….81
Needle-Free Botox…………………………………………………………….83
Guyliner: Makeup for Men?………………………………………………84
Electro Cosmetics……………………………………………………………85
Cosmetic Stickers……………………………………………………………..86
Tattoos………………………………………………………………………….86
Tattoos Today……………………………………………………87
Freedom-2-Ink…………………………………………………………..88
LED Tattoos…………………………………………………………………89
Gadget-Activated Tattoos………………………………………..89
Hair…………………………………………………………………….91
Hair Removal……………………………………………………………91
Hair Loss………………………………………………………………93
Weight Loss……………………………………………………………….97
Soylent…………………………………………………………………..98
Gastric Bypass………………………………………………… 102
Sleeve Gastrectomy ……………………………………………… 103
The Future of Thin…………………………………………………. 103
Zerona Laser…………………………………………………………. 105
Liposonix………………………………………………………. 106
Cosmetic Surgery: A History…………………………………….. 106
Cosmetic Surgery Today …………………………………………. 108
Nose Job………………………………………………………………… 108
Liposuction ……………………………………………………………. 108
Eyelid Surgery………………………………………………….. 109
Tummy Tuck……………………………………………………….. 109
Facelift……………………………………………………………………. 109
Dermabrasion…………………………………………………… 109
Cosmetic Dentistry…………………………………………… 110
Vaginoplasty ……………………………………………………………… 110
Breast Surgery………………………………………………………….. 110
Breast Augmentation……………………………………………………. 111
Bigger Boobs…Today…………………………………………………. 112
Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation………………………………… 115
Ideal Implants……………………………………………………………. 116
Sex Reassignment……………………………………………….. 117
Weird and Wonderful Cosmetic Surgery…………………………. 119
Palm Alterations…………………………………………………….. 119
Double Eyelid Surgery…………………………………………………… 119
Iris Surgery……………………………………………………………………. 119
Foot Surgery…………………………………………………………………. 120
Limb Lengthening …………………………………………………… 120
The Future of Beauty…………………………………………………………. 121
4 Lifesaving Hacks: Whirring Hearts, Printed Organs, and Miraculous Medicine 125
A Brief History of Medicine ……………………………………………. 126
Have a Heart—Pacemakers, Transplants, and Artificial Hearts………….. 128
Who Needs a Pulse, Anyway?………………………………………………. 133
There’s a Future in Plastics…………………………………………………. 136
Taking a Peek Inside …………………………………………………………….. 137
It’s Now, and It’s New: The Future Frontiers of Medicine……………………… 138
Nano, Nano…………………………………………………………………… 138
I Sing the Body Electronic!……………………………………………… 141
Up Close and Personal with Your Genome ………………………………………… 146
DIY Body Parts…………………………………………………………………… 149
Stop the Bleeding……………………………………………………………….. 152
A Sensor of Wonder……………………………………………………… 153
Hi, I’m Your Robot Doctor … Wait! Come Back!…………………………. 156
DIY Health……………………………………………………………… 160
5 The Human Computer: How to Rewire and Turbo-Boost Your Ape Brain 163
A Brief Early History of the Brain ……………………………………………….. 165
Your Brain Is Plastic? What?…………………………………………………………… 169
Do It Yourself (DIY) Brain Technology……………………………………… 173
Go Learn Something…………………………………………………………………… 173
Meditate on This…………………………………………………………………… 175
Brain Fixers………………………………………………………………………….. 178
Brain-Zapping Fixes……………………………………………………………………. 180
Deep Brain Stimulation ……………………………………………………………………. 182
Brain Drugs……………………………………………………………….. 183
No New Brain Cells: Myth Busted…………………………………………. 184
Brain Enhancers…………………………………………………………. 185
Over-the-Counter Drugs to Improve Brain Plasticity ………….. 187
This Is Your Brain on Video Games…………………………………………….. 188
More Super Cool Brain Projects……………………………………………………. 190
Brain-Controlled Exoskeleton…………………………………………………. 191
OpenWorm Project……………………………………………………………………… 192
Human Brains in Bots………………………………………………………………… 193
Brain-to-Brain Communication…………………………………………….. 194
Human-to-Human Brain Communication………………………… 195
Unsolved Mysteries of the Brain…………………………………………………… 196
What Is Consciousness?…………………………………………………………….. 196
Why Do We Sleep?………………………………………………………………………. 197
Do We Have Free Will?………………………………………………………………. 197
How Are Memories Processed?………………………………………………. 198
Is that It?……………………………………………………………. 199
The Future……………………………………………………………. 200
Expanding Human Intelligence………………………………………………. 200
Artificial Intelligence (AI)………………………………………………………… 203
Will the Machines Rise Up?……………………………………………………………. 205
And What About Conscious Robots? “GULP”……………. 206
Super Us? Here Come Virtual Helpers Armed with Strong AI……………..209
6 Franken-You: A Better Life Through Cyborg Technology
Are you a Cyborg? Or just Bionic?………………………………………………. 213
What the Heck is Cybernetics?……………………………………………………… 215
Mostly Evil Killing Machines?…………………………………………………. 216
This Cyborg Life…………………………………………………………………………… 217
Let’s Start with Bionics…………………………………………………… 219
I ♥ Technology……………………………………………………….. 220
I See U………………………………………………………………………… 221
I Am the Very Model of a Modern Cybernetic Man……………………… 221
Super Senses………………………………………………………………… 225
Mr. Cyborg: Steve Mann……………………………………………………………. 225
Neil Harbisson: The Man Who Can Hear Red………………………. 226
Jens Naumann: Now You See Me, Now You Don’t………………….. 227
Michael Chorost and the 100-Acre Wood………………………………… 228
Rob Spence: Life Imitates Art……………………………………………………… 228
Super Strength………………………………………………………………. 229
United States Army Exoskeleton/Amanda Boxtel………………………….. 230
Super Powers………………………………………………………….. 231
Jerry Jalava: To USB or Not to USB………………………………………. 231
Amal Graafstra: Open Sesame………………………………………………… 231
Kevin Warwick: Wife-Fi Connector……………………………………… 232
Pranav Mistry: Cruise Control ……………………………………………….. 233
Super Body: Wearables for Amputees…………………………………………. 235
Jesse Sullivan: Resume Hugging……………………………………………… 235
Nigel Ackland: Give this Guy a Hand…………………………………… 235
DIY Bio-Hacking………………………………………………………………. 236
Gabriel Licina: Cat’s Eyes…………………………………………………………… 236
The Grinder Movement: DIY Surgery………………………………………… 236
The Future of Cyborg?…………………………………………………………… 238
7 In Hacks We Trust? The Political and Religious Backlash Against the Future
The Future Is…Now?……………………………………………………. 244
Body Modification………………………………………………………. 245
Judaism……………………………………………………………….. 246
Christianity ……………………………………………………… 247
Islam………………………………………………………………… 248
Hinduism …………………………………………………….. 248
Genetic Engineering ……………………………………… 250
Cloning…………………………………………………………………. 252
Stem Cell Research and Genetic Therapy …………………………………. 254
Political Views on Stem Cell Research…………………………………. 256
Religious Views on Stem Cell Research……………………………….. 257
Emerging Technologies…………………………………………………. 260
8 Hyper Longevity: How to Make Death Obsolete
The History of Aging…………………………………………………………. 264
The Methuselah Award Goes to…………………………………………… 266
What We Know About Super Agers…………………………………………….. 267
Longevity Research Is Still Young…………………………………………………. 268
Lifestyle Secrets: Live Long and Prosper……………………………………. 270
Centenarian Studies……………………………………………………. 271
The Blue Zones………………………………………………………………….. 271
Power 9: The Nine Lifestyle Choices that Promote Longer Life Spans………. 272
The New England Centenarian Study………………………………….. 275
The Longevity Genes Project………………………………………………… 277
Strategies for a Longer Life……………………………………………….. 278
Calorie Restriction………………………………………………………………….. 278
Red Wine and Resveratrol ………………………………………………………… 281
Current Bodies of Research in Longevity………………………………….. 283
Sirtuin Studies……………………………………………………………………. 283
Amazing mTOR…………………………………………………………………. 286
Insulin Signaling (Long Live the Worms)……………………………. 287
AMPK, the Cellular Housekeeper………………………………………….. 289
Living Forever: The Research of Dr. Aubrey de Grey …………… 289
Cryonics: Freeze Me When I Die So I Can Live Forever…….. 292
Reports of Your Death Are Greatly Exaggerated…………………….. 294
Extendgame, Not the Endgame………………………………………… 295
9 Human 2.0: The Future Is You
Look Like Who You Want to Be and Be Who You Want to Be…………….. 299
Customize Your Children So They Live a Life Free of Disease……………….301
Live Your Life Disease Free…………………………………………………… 303
Be Superhuman………………………………………………………………… 306
Live Forever, If You Choose…………………………………………….. 308
Robots Replacing Jobs—Less Work and More Fun……………….. 310
Stage 1: The Bots You Know…………………………………………………….. 311
Stage 2: The Bots Are Coming………………………………………………… 311
Stage 3: Smarter, Strategic Bots……………………………………………….. 312
Stage 4: Here Come the Lawyer Bots, et al…………………………. 312
Restructured Society, Economy and Political System……………. 314
A Final Word……………………………………………………….. 318
Index
