#131 Born too early? Maybe not. Did you ever feel you were born too early? Like you would rather be riding the star-ways with the crew of the Enterprise. Sometimes I wish I were born in 1970 rather than 1950. Yet sometimes I'm reminded that I'm not half as bad off as some other are. __ On my way to a client meeting the other day I happened to catch one of those call-in shows on the radio. The topic was "cloning" and the callers represented a cross section of the rural, agriculturally oriented population from the backwoods of Virginia. Some of their comments were astounding -- all agreeing that the cloning animal or human tissue is a terrible sin. One commented that it should be illegal. Another condemned the government for not outlawing the practice. Not one of them mentioned the value of regeneration of human tissue -- generating new eyes for the blind, or a new kidney for dialysis patients. Could cloning whole human beings possibly harken the end of civilization? __ When I arrived home later that day, I was still thinking about that call-in radio episode. How fortuitous to find the latest issue of the MIT Technology Review there waiting for me. (I always revel in its arrival, because unlike 99% of the other magazines, these guys are the ones who are actually out there inventing the leading edge -- way beyond the leading edge you hear about every day.) The front page bannered "5 Patents That Will Transform Business & Technology." If you get the chance, pick up a copy of the May issue, or visit www.TechnologyReview.com. __ Imagine what it will be like when your computer has organic molecular memory. Another of these leading edge patents proposes to replace silicon with organic molecules. They're talking about groups of molecules measuring mere nanometers in size that can not only house millions of times the storage of today's semiconductor chips, but can regenerate as well. An integrated circuit using these organic molecules could actually contain trillions of electronic devices. You'll be able to carry your full featured PC within a tooth filling. Hmmmmm. __ What if you could see the eventual results of a new patent for genetically engineering corn and other vegetables to produce bacterial or viral proteins that actually elicit immune responses in humans! Imagine snack foods that actually give you vaccines as a bonus. Imagine rather than an army of medical staffs to fight a plague in an underdeveloped country, we just deliver loads of potato chips! Incredible, but in the works. __ But here's the one that brings the cloning issue into stark clarity. Massachusetts Medical Center researchers have developed a sort of cellular "scaffolding" that supports human tissue while special agents called hydrogel polymers initiates the growth of new cells. Yes, it sounds like mumbo jumbo science fiction to me -- but what they've discovered, and have obtained a patent for, is a process that generates new tissue, within months, that is exactly like the tissue it was replacing. Imagine the impact to this: no longer a shortage of human organs for transplantation and eventually the repair of birth defects, or the replacement of lost joint cartilage for sufferers of arthritis. __ These are fascinating articles, and if I've jogged your curiosity you can pursue the publication for further reading. The point? If you feel you were born too early, take comfort in the knowledge that you're not alone. But also take relish in the knowledge that wondrous things are on the horizon, and society needs to push forward with the future. Learn about these new developments, tell your friends, spread the word. __ The more people who learn the true story of scientific advancements, the better it will be in harkening the arrival of those advancements. My only hope is that somehow, they'll hurry up so I can be there when it happens! Good day. Don't forget to see the longer version of this one. Fred Showker is a designer, consultant, writer and speaker. He has published 60-Second Window and DT&G Magazine online since 1990, and is director of The Graphic Design Network which includes The Design & Publishing Center at www.Graphic-Design.com. (1994) He was a co-founder of both The User Group Forum on America Online (1987), The User Group Network at www.User-Groups.net, (1994) and the Designers' Bookshelf (1996) He originally founded Showker Graphic Arts & Design in 1972, has been an avid computer activist and supporter since 1984. 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