Homo sapiens, the human species, is on the verge of extinction due to advances in biotechnology, cyborg engineering, and non-organic engineering, which will likely give rise to a new species. We must prepare for the future in the face of this evolutionary wave.
The end of Homo sapiens. What a provocative title to end a book with. Why does Yuval Harari claim that Homo sapiens is going extinct? “Tens of thousands of years ago, Earth was inhabited by at least six species of humans,” he writes in the book’s first chapter. But Homo sapiens is the only species alive today. We evolved slowly over long periods of time, and this evolution inevitably entailed the culling of the unevolved, or extinction. We have put ourselves on a test bed that is so different from the mechanisms of evolution that the moment we did so, the end of our species was inevitable. The author describes the biotechnological, cyborg engineering, and non-organic engineering possibilities for human evolution (or extinction). The methods are different, but the outcome is the same: a new species is born that is no longer Homo sapiens.
If you’ve ever seen a movie from the Marvel universe, you’ll recognize the idea. Deadpool is a prime example of biotechnological evolution. The former special forces mercenary is a Homo sapiens who, through various experiments and genetic modifications, has become a new species with powerful self-healing abilities. Speaking of movies, you might think that it’s just a movie and that it’s still a long way off. However, biotechnology has been with us for a lot longer than you might think, and it has continued to develop at a rapid pace. For example, mules and burros, crossbred from horses and donkeys, are smart, strong, and have been used for centuries for farming and transportation. Humans have continuously improved the flightless bird, turning it into an egg-laying machine that eats only the feed in its cage. Genetic manipulation, which involves taking and inserting genes for desired traits such as radish and togam, is also used to intensively utilize farmland. Recently, researchers studied the genes of nematodes and found a gene associated with longevity and manipulated it to dramatically increase the lifespan of nematodes. This gene is also found in humans, and it is expected to be commercialized within a few decades. As you can see, the technology of genetic manipulation is constantly evolving for our convenience and betterment, and it is already at the point where it can be applied to humans, although ethical and political constraints limit it to insects, microorganisms, and plants, and it is not yet possible to evolve or create new species. Inevitably, these restrictions will be lifted over time, and we will soon be able to evolve by improving our own genes.
In addition, not only genetic engineering but also cyborg engineering is developing rapidly. Even now, medical technology is providing mechanical devices that can replace or augment human body parts. Artificial organs, prosthetic hands, and prosthetic limbs are already in use today, and as technology advances, cyborg technology is being developed with better performance and wider applications. Examples include people who have regained their sight through artificial retinas, and exoskeleton robots that give paraplegics the ability to walk after spinal cord injuries. These technologies are overcoming our physical limitations, opening up new possibilities, and heralding the birth of a new kind of human, one that is no longer purely Homo sapiens.
Advances in the engineering of non-organic materials also hold the potential to significantly alter the future of humanity. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are already outperforming humans in many areas. In the future, there may come a time when the human brain and AI are directly connected and can perform complex tasks or process data using only thoughts. Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is making this a reality. Elon Musk’s neurotechnology company, Neuralink, is already working on connecting the human brain to computers by inserting chips directly into the brain. If these technologies are commercialized, humans will no longer be what they are today, but something entirely new.
Here’s an excerpt from an interview with Yuval Harari
“Throughout history, there have been many economic, social, and political revolutions, but humanity has remained a constant. But in a few decades, for the first time in human history, humanity itself will undergo a radical revolution. Our societies and economies, as well as our bodies and minds, will be transformed by genetic engineering, nanotechnology, and brain-computer interface technologies. This will create tremendous new opportunities and alarming new risks. Whether we are optimistic or pessimistic about this is irrelevant. We have to be realists. We need to face the fact that these things are happening, that it’s not science fiction, it’s science.”
The extinction and evolution of the current human species has become an inevitable wave, but it is up to each individual to decide whether he or she will be the one to be swept away and swallowed up by it, or whether he or she will be the one to ride the wave and go further. As mentioned in the book, we may become a society that can control our emotions and desires, but I hope that we will become a humanity that examines the meaning of its own existence and strives not to lose its humanity.
