Tom Hyman by Jupiter's Daughter Page A

question. “I can understand, Doctor, how you might have perfected your genetic techniques to enhance IQ, health, and longevity—and even physical strength. But your claim to be able to expand the ranges of the senses—how is that possible? I thought such capacities were very limited in the human genome. Where do you get your model for this?”
     
    Goth nodded. “I’m not just repairing defective genes, or bringing ordinary ones up to the human optimum. In some cases I’m adding new ones.”
    “How can you do that?”
    “I’d prefer not to say anything more on the subject.”
    Yamamoto shook his head in disbelief. He followed up with another question. “We all know that everyone’s genome is different. Everyone is a special case. How can you have devised a single formula that will achieve the same results with two very different embryos? ” “An intelligent question,” Goth admitted. “I have devised a software program—a very complex program that requires a very large operating environment. Once an embryo’s genome has been deciphered, this program scans the genome’s three billion base pairs and determines the genetic alterations necessary to achieve those results you just mentioned—superior intelligence, health, physical strength, and sharper senses. The program can cope with the widest variations. It won’t convert them all to the same thing, but it can bring them up to within a narrow range. I might add that the active DNA in one human genome differs from another by only a minute fraction of one percent.
    Most of the DNA in our chromosomes is, as you probably know, silent.
    Long sequences may differ from individual to individual, but they don’t do anything. They don’t code for any proteins; they don’t control or regulate anything. They’re filler. Junk. Good only for purposes of genetic fingerprinting.”
    “Does this program of yours have a name?” Yamamoto asked.
    A sheepish grin transformed the doctor’s normally stern face.
    “Yes. It’s called Jupiter—after the Roman god.”
    “Does this . . . Jupiter program actually carry out the genetic alterations itself?” Yamamoto asked.
    “No. It produces the blueprint—the final correct readout of base pairs. The actual reordering of the embryo’s DNA structure has to be done the old-fashioned way—in the lab. But of course most of this procedure is now computer-driven also. Like space flight, it wouldn’t be humanly possible otherwise.”
    Dalton Stewart spoke up. “What we’ve heard is quite fascinating, Doctor, but a big problem still remains—at least for me.”
    “And what is that?”
    “So far you’ve shown us no evidence that Jupiter actually works. How do you know it does? Have you performed any trial runs? Do you have any test results of experiments done on real people? We can hardly accept your say-so on something as farfetched as what you’ve just outlined. We need to see convincing proof. Do you have any?”
    There was an immediate buzz of agreement among the others.
    “Excellent point,” Yamamoto murmured.
     
    Goth didn’t reply immediately. He removed his glasses and held them toward the window, squinting at the thick lenses. Then he wiped them slowly with the bottom edge of his lab coat.
    “Well?” Stewart demanded.
    Goth hooked his glasses back around his ears. “I see the point, of course,” he admitted. “I confess I don’t know much about financial matters. The intricacies of business are as much a mystery to me as I assume the world of microbiology is to all of you. But this much I know. Even the most cautious venture capitalist realizes that there is no such thing as a risk-free investment. If I could show you proof—ideally in the form of a real child demonstrating the abilities my genetic program will make possible—then I would hardly need your money to complete my research. I could set up my clinic tomorrow and start making it myself. I could even franchise the procedure—set up a string