Futuristic Evolution

Science fiction since its creation has inspected what would eventually be capable with technology and what humans would eventually be able to do with the technology. But, what if humans would eventually use technology to be able to change themselves entirely, thus creating their own evolution and in turn completely controlling their own fate?

An example of this that can happen in the near future is shown in Gattacca. In this movie, humans were using laboratories to scan egg and sperm combinations choosing the optimum version of the parents’ potential child's genes. This way of having children has, by the time of the movie, become the 'normal' version of having a child. Reading genes also started take over the potential someone was perceived to have by dictating what job position someone was able to obtain. I believe that if this method is used for many years that eventually humans will choose their own course in their evolution.

But, there will come a point where there are no longer new desired genes. When this happens, what can the human race do to continue growing as a species? I have not found a good example of humans having gotten to this point, but several aliens from science fiction have. These aliens have found ways of combining the best of other species with their own DNA. One example comes from Lilith’s Brood. The Oankali use their third sex, ooloi, to scan the genes passed from one generation to the next. They used this to make themselves look more humanoid and eventually combined their DNA with human DNA. They helped humans in a 'trade off' of DNA. They have reached a stagnant point in their own DNA and must incorporate other species' DNA into their own in order to survive and to evolve. The ‘visitors’ for V are similar to this. They want human DNA to progress their own evolution as well. They give humans some of their technology in order to earn their trust while actually adapting the environment and the humans themselves for the benefit of the visitors. They capture and kill humans secretly to extract their DNA to eventually use in their own genetic evolution as they have for many other species across the universe.

The most extreme form of a species taking control of their own evolution is Star Trek's Borg. At some point long ago, a species installed mechanic parts into themselves becoming what they consider 'perfect beings.' They grew to have one collective mind capable of talking to one another via space while losing the sense of individuality of any Borg. They have enhanced strength, stamina, and the ability to survive for periods without water, food or even air. The Borg inseminate other beings into their collective giving the Borg more variety and more individuals. They also learned quickly from their mistakes, changing the Borg to fit whatever obstacles that were faced. For example, if one was killed by a laser blast, the next would be become immune to the frequency of that laser.

These examples show what could be theoretically possible in the human race's future. But which one would we eventually become like? Would we just manipulate our own DNA into what we think is the 'perfect’ human? This however does not leave chance for mutation of DNA which is how a species changes to new stimuli, eventually making the species maladapted to the universe. Will we eventually find a way to cross-breed with other species and use their best genes to better our species? If we do, will we help the other species or will we just take the genes and leave? If we use machines to change our own evolution, will we inseminate them into our collective and say "It is for their own good?" I believe all of these are possible in the future of humans due to how the species acts now; many care more about their own good than the good of others.