Transhumanism is a school of thought and a series of technologies that promise to transform our lives and expand the boundaries of human potential. Through things like gene doping and brain chips it could make us all immortal superheroes and much of this technology is not far from realisation (though the ethics surrounding them are somewhat cloudy). Following are the top 10 transhuman technologies that could potentially change humanity forever.
10 Cryonics
Cryonics is one of the best known of the top 10 transhuman technologies. The ability to indefinitely suspend a body to prevent the effects of ageing and deterioration with the hope of being re-animated at a later date. One application is of course life extension (see below), but another could be space colonisation.
9 Virtual Reality
Virtual reality has many applications, and some of these put it as one of the top 10 transhuman technologies. For instance imagine training in a virtual reality world in skills you could never practice in the real world, and how this could even change the way our brains work.
8 Mind Uploading
We’re along way away from mind uploading making it relatively a low entry on this list of top 10 transhuman technologies. However it would have one of the most transformative implications allowing us to live forever in a world with no boundaries – where our very thought patterns could be reprogrammed.
7 Brain Chips
Implantable brain chips could be used to control technology, to improve our senses or even to achieve telepathy. Some paralysed patients have already been given the ability to use brain chips to control computers giving them some freedom.
6 Prosthetics
Prosthetics already help many amputees, but in the future they could also be one of the top 10 transhuman technologies. Imagine not replacing limbs but having extra limbs or more powerful limbs – certainly food for thought.
5 Transcranial Stimulation
Transcranial stimulation involves using electrodes or other techniques such as magnetic stimulation in order to make certain brain areas fire or become inhibited. This is already used to treat depression, headaches and seizures, but could be used for advanced learning and recall. It can be achieved completely non-invasively and simply involves wearing pads on the head making it one of the top 10 transhuman technologies we’re most likely to see in the near future.
4 Nano-Technology
Nano-technology is any technology that’s less than one atom in any dimension. This essentially can mean chips and devices we could swallow that could cross the blood-brain barrier or operate from within us to release hormones and provide biofeedback. The range of applications is huge making it one of the top ten transhuman technologies.
3 Life Extension
Life extension is not so much one of the top ten transhuman technologies in itself, but rather one of the top ten aims. Already there are several ideas as to how it could work such as lengthening the telomeres or using the aforementioned cryonics. It is believed in fact that these technologies should be usable during the lifespan of the current generation. It may be that you never die.
2 Cybernetics
Cybernetics are one of the top ten transhuman technologies and basically involve becoming a cyborg. Sound far-fetched? Well one scientist called Kevin Warwick has already implanted himself with an artificial nervous system that gives him heightened senses, let’s him control robotic arms and even helps him communicate across long distances with his wife.
1 Gene Doping
Finally gene doping is the winner of this list of top 10 transhuman technologies. Already having been used to give mice super-strength and even reverse aging, the ability to understand and rewrite our own genetic code could enable us to control the course of our very evolution.
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From these top 10 transhuman technologies, cryonics I like most. I’m realy interested in these inventions. They would have been very used if they have existed. Imagine you could have extended your life with a few years. Cryonics should be in the first place among these top 10 transhuman technologies.
Of these top 10 transhuman technologies, I am most amazed of gene doping. Although it seems quite dangerous. I really like the idea that we are now able to rewrite our genetic code. This proves how much we evolved! I wonder how would top 10 transhuman technologies look like in 100 years.
I hadn’t known that there is working at life extension. The result of this idea would definitely be one of the top 10 transhuman technologies. Who would not like to extend with a few years its life? I hope this idea truly happens. It would become the most incredible top 10 transhuman technologies.
It is quite an informative post, this top 10 transhuman technologies article. Thank you for mentioning.
Indeed the world has evolved a lot. It is good that we can handle and know so many things now. But we have to take care of the global warming issue. It is a serious thing.
OMG. I could not imagine never dying. How would that really work though? Life extension is really a mystery to me but it is something that I am willing to learn more about.
It is posts like this top 10 transhuman technologies that make me think about the future. Sometimes, I really wonder how the future will look like. Will it be better? Or will it suck? This top 10 transhuman technologies can give us a little info about how it will be.
I have to agree with you on this really making you think. I have to say that the future will only get better. We have come so far in our technology that we are bound and destined for greater things. This is an awesome list that does make you think!
Cryonics sort of freaks me out. I mean could you imagine being in water like that and then some day taken out. Think all you would have missed. It would be so weird.
I have been fascinated by top 10 transhuman technologies since a couple of years ago. I have made a project on this topic for college. I think it’s still somewhere on my hdd. So.. big up for the post.
PS: gene doping is closer than we think.
I love the nano-technology. It is amazing how brilliant can get a 1mm device. Tens of years ago, no one ever thought about anything like nano-technology. Now, it is widely spread. Thank you, evolution, for the top 10 transhuman technologies.