Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies -- and What It Means to Be Human

Broadway Books, 2006. Good. Taking us behind the scenes with today's foremost researchers and pioneers, bestselling author Joel Garreau shows that we are at a turning point in hi story. At this moment we are engineering the next stage of human evolution. Through advances in genetic, robotic, information, and nanotechnologies, w e are altering our minds, our memories, our metabolisms, our personalities, our progeny-and perhaps our very souls. Radical Evolution reveals that the powers of our comic-book superheroes already exist, or are in development in hospitals, labs, and research facilities around the country-from the rev ved-up reflexes and speed of Spider-Man and Superman, to the enhanced menta l acuity and memory capabilities of an advanced species. Over the next fift een years, Garreau makes clear in this New York Times Book Club premiere se lection, these enhancements will become part of our everyday lives. Where w ill they lead us? To heaven-where technology's promise to make us smarter, vanquish illness, and extend our lives is the answer to our prayers? Or, as some argue, to hell-where unrestrained technology brings about the ultimat e destruction of our species?