Genetic engineering in fiction
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
Genetic engineering is a popular subject of fiction, especially science fiction.
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Star Trek
In the Star Trek universe, genetic engineering has featured in a couple of films, and a number of television episodes.
The Breen, the Dominion, Species 8472, the Xindi, and the Federation use technology with organic components.
Khan Noonian Singh, who appeared in Space Seed and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, was a product of genetic engineering. His physical structure was modified to make him stronger and to give him greater stamina than a regular human. His mind was also enhanced. However, the creation of Khan would have serious consequences because the superior abilities given to him created superior ambition. Along with other enhanced individuals, they tried to take over the planet. When they were reawakened by the Enterprise, Khan set himself to taking over the universe. Later, he became consumed by grief and rage, and set himself on the goal of destroying Kirk.
Because of the experiences with genetic engineering, the Federation had banned it except to correct genetic birth defects, but a number of parents still illegally subjected their children to genetic engineering for a variety of reasons. This often created brilliant but unstable individuals. Such children are not allowed to serve in Starfleet or practice medicine. One such child was Dr. Julian Bashir, the doctor on Deep Space Nine. When he was a child, his parents had him genetically enhanced, and he kept the secret until episode 514 of Season Five, "Doctor Bashir, I Presume?"
Star Wars
In the Star Wars universe, genetic engineering was also used.
In Attack of the Clones, the Kamino cloners who created the clone army for the Galactic Republic had used engineering to enhance their clones. They modified the genetic structure to accelerate their growth rate, make them less independent, and make them better suited to combat operations.
Later, the Yuuzhan Vong are a race who exclusively use organic technology and regard mechanical technology as heresy. Everything from starships to communications devices to weapons are bred and grown to suit their needs.
Gundam SEED
Genetic modification is also found in the anime series Gundam SEED in coordinators, who were created from ordinary humans by GM.
Guardians of the Galaxy
In Marvel Comics, the 31st century adventurers called the Guardians of the Galaxy are genetically engineered residents of Mercury, Jupiter, and Pluto.
Gattaca
The film Gattaca had themes of genetic engineering.
Olaf Stapledon
Genetic engineering (or something very like it) features prominently in Last and First Men, a 1930 novel by Olaf Stapledon.
The Moreau Series
The Moreau Series by S. Andrew Swann has as the central premise the proliferation of humanoid genetically-engineered animals. The name of the series (and of the creatures themselves) comes from the H. G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau. In the Wells novel, humanoid animals were created surgically, though this detail has been changed to be genetic manipulation in most film adaptations.
