Genetics for a New Human Ecology

The human world is not only changing rapidly but also in deep fundamental ways. All of these changes present dangers, challenges, and opportunity, but none present more danger and potential than the changes effecting our genes. Humans have changed the balance between the mutation rate and the natural selection rate. That imbalance is not sustainable. It will lead to a genetic load that will prevent any further development because we are just going to naturally accumulate genes that have become broken generation by generation. Unless we can replace natural selection, the birth defect rate will rapidly rise and keep rising until we lose our civilization and natural selection returns to its normal level. This problem is not something we could do or might do in the future, it is about what we have already done and the consequences are starting to come upon us now. Nicely there is a practical, economic and ethical solution, that will allow everyone to have healthy families. Humanity must husband its genetic wealth and direct its own genetic destiny. Responding to this will not only avoid a disaster but will open the door to the incredible potentials of our genes. We have little choice. The dangers are greater than you would imagine and the potentials are greater than human aspirations.This describes one of the great challenges that humans must overcome to survive into the future. It also is what will open a door to our future.