Grafting Avian & Human DNA

[Fly-High]

A LOT of people around the world want to be able to fly. Not with hang gliders, parachutes, or air planes. Like with real wings. So here's the real question, by grafting human and avian DNA can you grow wings? And some people like myself have questions like this: how much would this hurt? What kind of things would scientists have to do to you to make this work? I get that question by the fact that our human bodies are far to heavy to be able to carry. Not to mention the new weight of the wings. So can they lighten the weight of our bones and mucles? By grafting these two DNA's can you actually grow wings??? This all seems so impossible to me but I still want to beleive in the impossible. One of the most important questions is, will this work if you are already born. Scientists have been playing with avian and human DNA in embryos, but what about the people already alive? Do we still have a chance??

Thanx for reading everyone but thanx tons more to those that answered!!!!

Edited January 11, 2009 by Fly-High

[VincentHunter]

Well...It does seem impossible as a person doesn't just grow wings complete with feathers. If you did with a grown person, yes it would hurt as you'd have to grow the wing bones, some muscle and blood vessels then the feathers and chances are they'd have to also grow to your body and possibly shoulder blades, it would hurt. Now if we did with human embryos, chances are we may end up with harpy like beings(Minus lower body of a bird, perhaps just wing-arms). It would take lots of years to get it down right and even if it was possibly, you may not be able to use them as you'd need to be light and built for flight and birds already are. You can't simply hollow out or completely engineer a human for flight unless the wings were strong enough and even then you still have a ton of problems and issues to try and fix or solve.

It would take years and more advanced technology but if we're lucky, one day man will have wings. But for now it's pretty impossible sorry to say. And no one bring up angels because I can't explain that without saying "god willed it".

[isis-999]

I really don't think the human body could support wing's myself, We are just not designed to fly.

[njade01]

I think, that although it will take years we do have a chance at flight. There would have to be a DNA cocktail though, not just bird and human. You would need the DNA of certain insects as their exoskeletal structure (in the unique honeycomb formation) would provide the human body with a skeleton capable of withstanding the stresses of flight and flight muscles, the insect DNA would essentially make our bones light and incredibly strong. You would also need DNA from some type of ape, preferably the orangutan, as the fibrous strings that make up their muscle mass confer a strength much greater than their appearance would suggest, as in they have a higher strength to mass ratio (using this DNA, wouldn't deform the human musculature or appearance, merely take the place of what composes the muscles themselves). We would also need to have croc DNA to give us a second pair of eyelids, as i for one, do not want to be blinded by every oncoming bug & whereas I think a pair of raybans may look pretty good, they would fall off, not to mention the obvious benefits to the Australian salt water crocodile's immune system, the only natural immune system with a near 100% effectiveness against all forms of disease, bacterial and viral. This makes us far more likely to survive any diseases we may (with gene manipulation) become susceptible to. And finally we could use the DNA of certain birds that live at high altitude, for their ability to process and survive on much lower oxygen saturation rates, not to mention the incredible eyesight of the raptors, which can see with 20/20 vision over vast distances and up close.

[tigger]

in a word.. no..

our bone integrity is all wrong, as well as the composition and placement of the muscles needed to fly.. the wing span needed would be massive, and our spines would need to be attached to the back of the skull, not the base as it is now

not to mention the fact that two species cannot intermingle.. biologically it cannot be feasible

[Matthew Sheppard]

i think if we can isolate the gene in birds that allows their bones to be hollow there might be a chance. that would greatly reduce our weight and allow for strong, light bones. also, most scientists have tried 2 bond only 2 strands of dna at a time. an yes bondin of dna is possible though it might not be by an exactly scientific method. come on tigger where do u think a lygra came from? and dont say it isnt real ive seen it on it's own documentary. natures way of stoppin these processess however, has caused this animal 2 be born neither male nor female. so if technology ever allows us 2 fly, we'd prbly be infertile. if the vector method of genetic engineering is used coupled with stem cell therapy when sttill as a embryo causing pluripotent stem cells 2 specialize in replicating avian dna, specifically the genes that allow hollow bones and wing growth there is a chance. does that answer yuor question?

[Soul Kitchen]

A LOT of people around the world want to be able to fly. Not with hang gliders, parachutes, or air planes. Like with real wings. So here's the real question, by grafting human and avian DNA can you grow wings? And some people like myself have questions like this: how much would this hurt? What kind of things would scientists have to do to you to make this work? I get that question by the fact that our human bodies are far to heavy to be able to carry. Not to mention the new weight of the wings. So can they lighten the weight of our bones and mucles? By grafting these two DNA's can you actually grow wings??? This all seems so impossible to me but I still want to beleive in the impossible. One of the most important questions is, will this work if you are already born. Scientists have been playing with avian and human DNA in embryos, but what about the people already alive? Do we still have a chance??

Thanx for reading everyone but thanx tons more to those that answered!!!!

Billions of years of evolution produce a perfect mechanism of a body for flying (birds). Genetic engineering can not match evolution. It would take a genius and far more advanced ge techniques to BEGIN to CONSIDER making a man with wings.

You would have to change the arrangement of all the muscles, bone structure, etc..

[Onemilelost]

i think if we can isolate the gene in birds that allows their bones to be hollow there might be a chance. that would greatly reduce our weight and allow for strong, light bones. also, most scientists have tried 2 bond only 2 strands of dna at a time. an yes bondin of dna is possible though it might not be by an exactly scientific method. come on tigger where do u think a lygra came from? and dont say it isnt real ive seen it on it's own documentary. natures way of stoppin these processess however, has caused this animal 2 be born neither male nor female. so if technology ever allows us 2 fly, we'd prbly be infertile. if the vector method of genetic engineering is used coupled with stem cell therapy when sttill as a embryo causing pluripotent stem cells 2 specialize in replicating avian dna, specifically the genes that allow hollow bones and wing growth there is a chance. does that answer yuor question?

I think you mean 'Liger'. And that comparison is not even similar to what is being proposed in this thread. A lion and a tiger share the same genus. To combine DNA from birds and humans would require some serious handy work on the scientist's part, and even then, the odds of it producing anything other than a pool of goo would not be good.

[Alladar]

The human chest cavity is far too small to support wings. If it could work, we wouldn't look like man with wings. We would end up looking monsterous.

[FlameSplash14]

READ READ READ READ!!!!!!

Look you all say that crafting Avian DNA into a human is impossible WELL NEWS FLASH!!!! its not! My friend and I have been getting pains in our bodies right where wings would be. These pains hurt WAY worse then growing pains. Our lungs are expanding to fufil our needs for more oxygen while we're flying. If you don't belive me go to http://elementkids.webs.com/ trust me you will belive it's possible after you read whats on this site. My friend and I also have hollow collar bones and have both had X-Rays in the past and our bones looked way lighter in the screen then they should. If you still don't belive me after looking at the site then to bad! And yes it hurts ALOT!!!! and FYI me and my friend are both 13 so that Grown-ups-only excuse doesn't work anymore!!!!

[in-flight]

all of the awnsers to these Q's are posted at http://elementkids.webs.com/apps/blog/ yes im a human avian hybrid SO WAT? and it IS posiable i am proof

[Paranormalcy]

Well, your meticulous and well-calculated plan was cleverly couched in legitimate-appearing posts by three new coincidentally interested and accepting members, but somehow, the moderator staff here at Unexplained Mysteries have managed to pierce the nearly seamless ruse and discover the masterfully hidden purpose of this thread, and I am now closing it.

While I am giving an informal warning to ALL the perpetrators of this ...public service... and invite them to participate in legitimate discussion here at UM, I will strongly advise you not to continue plugging this site and behaving in this manner. Thank you.

-Paranormalcy, Senior Moderator Staff