Human Modification: Spider Goat Silk to Make ‘Bulletproof Human Skin’
Following the leaked news that scientists have created 15,000+ experimental animal hybrids, it has now come out that researchers are in the process of developing bulletproof human skin by using the silk of a creature with both spider and goat genes known as a spider goat. Spider goats are transgenic creations that have two key spider genes embedded into their genetic code that enable them to weave extremely strong silk. Utah State researchers are now in the process of utilizing the spider goat silk in a “bio-art” project that aims to create artificial tendons and ligaments that are completely bulletproof.
Spider silk, 5 times stronger than steel, is one of the strongest fibers known to man. While the fibers involved with the creation of the bulletproof skin are not as strong, they are still extremely powerful. Researcher Randy Lewis, the creator of spider goats, teamed up with Dutch artist Jalila Essaidi to conduct an experiment weaving a lattice of human skin cells and silk that was capable of stopping bullets fired at reduced speeds.
“Randy and I were moved by the same drive I think, curiosity about the outcome of the project,” Essaidi said in an email interview. “Both the artist and scientist are inherently curious beings.”
The results were shocking, with the silk-laced artificial skin withstanding the impact of a bullet.
“We were more than a little surprised that the final skin kept the bullet from going in there,” Lewis said of the tests at reduced speed. “It still ended up 2 inches into the torso, so it would not have saved your life. But without a doubt the most exciting part for us is the fact that they were able to recreate the skin on top of our fibers. It’s something we haven’t done. Nobody has worked in that area.”
The Troubling Nature of this Research
While there are plenty of positive aspects to this research, there are also a number of troubling factors. We have seen the result of genetically modified foods, with studies detailing how they devastate your health. As the genetic modification of the planet continues, the very genetic coding of the world is threatened. From crops to living creatures, genetic modification has run rampant. This report shows that humans may be next on the list, with the military eyeing up the bulletproof human skin made from spider goat silk to use for combat.
While there are many benefits to scientific breakthroughs of this nature, we need to establish rules in order to protect the genetic integrity of the planet — including ourselves.
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