In this blog post, we take an in-depth look at whether the new human species emerging from advances in biotechnology represents an evolved future for Homo sapiens or the prelude to our end.
There is a saying that humans are the “lords of all creation.” If you look up “lord” in the dictionary, it is defined as a leader possessing mystical power—a term used to describe humans. In other words, it implies that humans are superior to all other living beings. Opinions may vary on whether we dare to describe ourselves as the most superior beings, but no one would claim that any animal other than humans has achieved a level of civilizational development comparable to ours. If anyone has seen a monkey launch a spaceship or a rabbit proficient in calculus, please contact me. Thus, it is an undeniable fact that humans are currently the smartest species on Earth. However, the day when a being superior to humans appears is not far off. Will aliens with higher intelligence than ours invade Earth? Instead of an E.T.-style invasion, advances in biotechnology will give birth to a superior new human race. And thanks to the emergence of these superior beings, the end will come for Homo sapiens—including me, the writer, and you, the reader. Will the new species that fills the void left by Homo sapiens possess superpowers? And how will they appear? I will address these questions one by one.
Unfortunately, it seems the new human race will not be capable of performing magic. However, they could be similar to Superman, the protagonist of the movie *Superman*. Of course, excluding his ability to fly. For example, we’re talking about individuals with superhuman physical abilities that transcend the limits of modern humans—such as superhuman strength capable of effortlessly stopping a falling airplane with their bare hands, or highly developed visual acuity allowing them to see objects hundreds of meters away. It wouldn’t be complete without intellectual prowess. Perhaps they possess intelligence so exceptional that even ten Einsteins combined wouldn’t be enough to match them. Can’t you imagine ten Einsteins looking utterly dejected as they watch this new breed of humans instantly grasp and prove the theory of general relativity? If any readers are disappointed, wondering if these beings have brought about the end of Homo sapiens simply because of their superior physical and intellectual abilities, there’s no need to worry. They might just be romantics who devote their entire lives to a single person. Encompassing not only intellectual and physical abilities but also emotional depth, these beings would be capable of everything you can imagine.
But is the birth of such superior beings truly possible? As mentioned earlier, isn’t this just a list of imaginings in my head? However, the groundwork for endowing this new human race with such superhuman abilities has already been laid in reality. Genetic engineers have succeeded in creating mice with significantly enhanced memory and learning abilities. They have also isolated the genes responsible for the monogamous behavior of field mice. If so, it should be possible to identify the genes that hold the secret to the cheetah’s powerful leg muscles, which allow it to reach speeds of 100 km/h. If these genes are properly combined with human genes, wouldn’t creating a so-called “superhuman” be just a matter of time? Not only that, but scientists are still conducting research to solve the puzzle of “eternal life.” This means that a so-called immortal superhuman could be born. Biotechnology has advanced endlessly, granting us the ability of “intelligent design” to redefine the characteristics of living organisms. And this will continue to advance endlessly. The key to bringing Superman from the movies into reality lies in biotechnology, and the day when imagination becomes reality is not far off.
This new humanity can be viewed as “superhumans” far more capable than modern humans in many ways. However, while their abilities may be superior, they will likely look similar to us today, and their brains probably won’t be significantly heavier than ours. That said, it’s not as if an ice age will strike Earth in a few years, causing all of us Homo sapiens to go extinct and superhumans to emerge. So why do we view the arrival of superhumans as the end of Homo sapiens? The answer to “Why don’t we call these superhumans Homo sapiens?” is, simply put, “because they are too different.” Their intelligence and physical abilities are incomparably superior to ours. And if they discover the secret to eternal life, become immortal, and evolve into beings capable of controlling even their minds and emotions—thereby altering the way we and our descendants think—then we cannot view such “different” beings as Homo sapiens.
So, will superhumans emerge within the next few decades, bringing about our end? Judging solely by the pace of scientific and technological advancement, it might be possible, but answering whether it is socially feasible would require countless ethical debates and discussions. If research into the creation of superhumans is to continue, animal testing will be unavoidable. However, animal rights activists strongly criticize the suffering animals would endure and oppose such testing. Furthermore, human rights activists oppose the creation of cloned humans on the grounds of human dignity. In other words, ethical barriers still remain before humans can be treated as subjects of intelligent design. However, if the day comes when our society can accept this, the birth of descendants far superior to us will be only a matter of time.
The end of Homo sapiens does not mean that one day a meteorite will strike Earth, instantly wiping out humanity and allowing a new form of life to thrive in its place. Rather, it means that we humans will no longer be the species “Homo sapiens,” but will become a new “superhuman” species possessing far superior intelligence and physical abilities to Homo sapiens, to the point where we can no longer be considered the same as our Homo sapiens ancestors. However, it cannot be definitively stated that the birth of superhumans is 100% certain. Someday, we will have to overcome major barriers in science and technology, and right now, we must also overcome societal opposition. And while some may imagine that the birth of a perfect superhuman will allow us humans to transcend Earth and become masters of the universe, others may envision a terrifying scenario where, one day, the birth of superhumans turns Homo sapiens into slaves. Thus, whether the emergence of this new human species will serve as a stepping stone for our own leap forward, or whether human greed and unethical ideas will give rise to a new “superhuman” class, remains to be seen. However, I hope that the birth of superhumans will mark a new biological beginning for us Homo sapiens, rather than a catastrophic end.
