IntroductionWhat if you could engineer your child before they were even born? What if you could eliminate any life-threatening disease, make sure your child isn't susceptible to smoking addiction or alcoholism, and then make him or her a genius? Would you do it? Are you wondering how this could be accomplished? Have you ever considered human genetic engineering? What is human genetic engineering? Let's start by examining the cell and the source of inherited traits. We know that all organisms are made up of cells and that new cells can only arise from existing cells. Cell growth depends on the production of new cells, and DNA exists within each cell. DNA contains the hereditary instructions necessary for each organism to grow and develop. Each parental organism provides the correct amount of DNA to its offspring. Humans give their children twenty-three chromosomes from each of the parents. DNA resembles a spiral staircase, and when in condensed form, each DNA molecule is called a chromosome. Genes that form in pairs are found in these chromosomes. During reproduction, gene pairs are divided and randomly passed on to offspring. During the replication of pairs of genes, random events such as mutations can change their structure and favor their evolution. Through human interference we can engineer our evolution using genetic engineering. Using this genetic engineering, scientists have the means to isolate, cut and split different genes from different species and thus amplify the number of copies of the gene they are interested in. This process involves four phases. First, enzymes are used to cut DNA molecules into smaller fragments. Second, the fragments are inserted into a cloning device, such as plasmids. Third, the desired fragments are identified and then copied. Fourth, the fragment is reinserted into the same or possibly a different organism. Historically, humans have used artificial selection to pass on desirable traits to livestock. Now researchers are trying to identify and map specific traits passed down in human DNA. The Human Genome Project is currently working on 3.2 million gene pairs that exist in the twenty-three pairs of human chromosomes. Oh, happy genetic engineering day! Researcher James M. Wilson, a pioneer... middle of paper......some unknowns. Perhaps, when further progress is made, we will one day be able to cure genetic diseases. There was a time when the world thought polio was incurable, but Dr. Jonas Slak proved the world wrong. Perhaps in the future cystic fibrosis will be as big a problem as chickenpox. Works Cited California State University, Chico. Internet. CSUC Library. November 21, 1998. Available http://www.cwrl.utexaas.edu/~rouzie/e306fall/proj4/genetics/genetics(1st_pg).html“Deoxyribonucleic acid.” Taber's cyclopedic medical dictionary. 1989Dillow, Gordon. “Towards a more perfect human being?” Orange County Register July 2, 1995: 1“Evolutionary Wisdom of Genetic Roulette?” Science 31 October 1997: 882 "The need to regulate and control genetic engineering." The Rebirth of the Third World Jan./Feb. 1995: 16-24Olshansky, S. Jay, Bruce A. Carns, and Douglas Grahm. “Confronting the boundaries of human longevity.” American Scientist Jan./Feb. 1998: 53-61Rifkin, Jeremy. “God in a lab coat.” UTNE Reader May/June 1998: 66+Rubenstein, Irwin. "Nucleic acid". The World Book Encyclopedia. 1986