slice

Thanks to Catherine for sending me the link~

I'm afriad to post the images here becuase of copyright issues. Here is the source link for the complete set of images: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/34683 and http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/17133781.html?page=1#comments
Splice is a movie starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley that has gone into production and has scheduled to come out in 2009.

The Story
Base on limited information, the plot is as follow:
Two young doctors, Clive and Elsa who have became famous for their researches on creating new animal species. However, they have secretly used human DNA in the experiment and created this female animal-human hybrid. Up to this point, the idea is very similar to my project. Then the plot follows a similar direction as many of the sci-fi/creature/mad-doctor horror movies out there. This hybrid, whom they thought is the "perfect organism," undertakes a change and became a being that could destroy humanity.
For my project, I wish to create more successful hybrids who do not necessarily threaten humanity.

The Science
Splice, used in genetic engineering, referes to "the process in which fragments of DNA from one or more different organisms are combined to form a new organism." This is something different from the experiments that have been researching on, which is the process of injecting human cells to an animal embryo.

The Visual
Looking at the images, the hybrid is very nicely done using CG technology, reaching a photo-realistic goal that I am hoping to achieve. The lighting, the setting, her posture, the composition give a cold, horrific, science lab feeling to the audience, which is pretty different from what I want to accomplish. I wish to position the hybrids in the same living enviroment as humans. Seeing these hybrids in our every day setting might make them less intimidate, or make us more uncomfortable. I am not sure which will be true; it is something that I want to explore.

The Social Issues
Quoting from the director, "Splice is about finding the humanity in the monster...and the monsters that lurk within humanity. " This movie labels the hybrid as a monster, presenting an extremely negative view on the science experiment. Even though I am unsure about my postion in the current animal-human hybrid researches, I still do not refer to these hybrids as monsters. They might have problems positioning themselves in society, I do not see them as terrifiying beings that might destroy humanity.

98% chimpanzee, the cuteness

Marks, Jonathan. What is Means to be 98% Chimpanzee: Apes, People, and Their Genes. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002.

Because of the similarity of human genes to ape genes, Jonathan Marks, a well-known molecular anthropologist, assesses a number of issues in his book, including human genetic science, racism, animal rights and cloning. In Chapter 8, titled "Human Rights...For Ape?" he expresses his take on the idea of human rights for the great apes, or the aim of The Great Ape Project.

Marks thinks that there are two facts that are crucial to this idea. First is "apes aren't human." Second is "we can't even guarantee human rights to humans." He asserts that the fundamental basis of the idea is the apes' genetic similarity to humans. But the category "human" is always determined by "reproductive compatibility and ecological niche"and never genetic similarity. Furthermore, the idea of equal rights are usually granted to "citizens," and who can be considered as a citizen is determined by political reasons. Thus, asking people to accept the new notion that genetic distance should decide the appropriation of rights can be difficult.

The author also mentions an important question, "are apes merely disabled people?" Many people have apes to small children or mentally disabled humans because they have resembling cognitive perfomance. Marks disapproves the belief that because we give human rights to children, to the metally disabled, the autistics, the deaf, the dumb, etc, we should also give rights to apes, whose state of being human can be recognized through the same reasoning and communicating skills. He stresses that humans have human rights by merely being born human, automatically receiving citizenship. Losing the ability to reason or to communicate does not cause the person to lose his humaness and rights. Apes, on the other hand, are nonhuman. He states that "human rights should neither be forfeitable nor accessible by nonhumans. That is not to say that other beings should have no rights; it is merely to say that the phrase 'human rights' has no meaning if it does not apply to all humans and only to humans." (191)
In general, Marks believes that apes should have protection or even rights, just not human rights.

So, the question is should the human-animal hybrids have human rights? Applying Marks ideas, even animals that are 98% similar to humans cannot be granted human rights, how can it possible fo some one with say 60% human genes to be granted.

Personally, I do not have an extremely strong opinion on this issue and think both sides are reasonable. Then I realize it might be because of the fact that I am always thinking about the cute animals.

-------------------------------
Considering the cuteness, Marks declares that the ape-conservation activists and animal-rights activists use apes as a starting point to try to liberate all animals because apes are among the cutest animals.

Marks has wrote on page 185:
"Apes are often objectified by callous and cynical entrepreneurs, who neither regard them nor treat them as the sentient, emotionally complex creatures they are.They are generally disposed of when whey lose their cuteness, usually less than one-fifth of the way through their lives. The lucky ones can live out their lives in the care of an enlightened or sympathetic zoo or primate research facility with sensitive caretakers and handlers. Most, of course are not lucky."

I believe this can be true for all kinds of animals, and in my case, all hybrids. They are more likely to be accepted at a younger age because of their appearances.

compositing - the olympics

Composting Ruru in an image of the Olympic games can illustrate the hybrid's role in society. She will most likely to ace some of the athletic games. But, should she be allowed to compete in the Olympics?

I haven’t found any official rules of the Olympic games, not even on the official Olympic's website. Other sources are also unclear but at least nothing mentions about the requirement of alternating both feet in a race.

According to the record of International Association of Athletics Federation:

100 Meters
Human record:
Male - 9.74s, +1.7 wind, Asfa Powell, Jamaican, September 9^th, 2007.
Female -10.49s, 0.0, Florence Griffith Joyner, United States, July 16, 1988.

Kangaroo record: can speed up to 44 mph or 71kph in case of an emergency although only for a few hundred yards, perfect for sprints = 5.084s

Long Jump
Human record:
Male - 8.95 meters or 29-4½ feet, Mike Powell, USA, Tokyo on Aug 30, 1991
Female - 7.52 meters, Galina Chistyakova, URS, Leningrad, June, 11, 1988

Kangaroo record: 12.8 meters or 42 feet.

High Jump
Human record:
Male - 2.45 meters/8 feet, Javier Sotomayor, Cuban, July 23, 1993
Female - 2.09 meters/6.85 feet, Stefka Kostadinova, Bulgarian, August 30, 1987

Kangaroo record: 3.10 meters or 10.17 feet

Hurdling:

In sprint hurdle races for men or 110m, regardless of the length of the race, the first hurdle is 13.72 m from the starting line and the distance between hurdles is 9.14 m.
In sprint hurdle races for women or 100m, the first hurdle is 13 m from the starting line and the distance between hurdles is 8.5m.
Hurdle height is 42 inches (1.07m) for men and 33 inches (.84 m) for women.

Human record:
Male - 12.88s, Liu Xiang, China, 2004
Female - 12.21s, Yordanka Donkova, BUL, Stara Zagora, Aug, 20, 1988

In long hurdle events or 400m, whether for men or women, the first hurdle is 45 m from the starting line and the distance between hurdles is 35 m.
Hurdle height is 36 inches (.914 m) and 30 inches (.762 m) for women.

Human record:
Male - 46.78s, Kevin Young, USA, Barcelona, Aug 06, 1992
Female - 52.34s, Yuliya Pechenkina, RUS, Tula, Aug 08, 2003>

the story

Since I have categorized this project under "narrative," I've realized that I am still missing the actual story. -_- My goal is to tell a story in a unconventional way. I have been concentrating on creating only the background story, instead of one specific story to tell. In Character Studio, I've learned that characters are more vivid when being described within a character-driven story. Thus, I decided to develop a specific character-driven story that have happened within the world I have created in the background story.

are you a man or a mouse?

Jeremy Rifkin, president of the Foundation on Economic Trends is well known author and speaker on the issues concerning the impact of scientific and technological changes on the economy, the workforce, society, and the environment. He has published an article in the British newspaper The Guardian called "Are You a Man or a Mouse."

In 2005, Scientists, headed by Dr. Irving Weissman, have injected human brain cells into mice fetuses and successfully created mice that are 1%, hoping to follow-up with an experience to produce mice with 100% human brain.

Scientists say:
*chimpanzees can created the best result, very feasible
-closely related to us
-share 98% of the human genes
-fully mature chimp = four-year-old human.

Based on the current stage of chimeric experimentation, Rifkin raised some questions:
*Can they be considered as human? A test to see if they are human enough?
*Can they have human rights?
*Are they going to be substitute for humans? To perform dangerous activities?
*Are we risking to undermine our own species "biological integrity"
*biological renaissance or self destruction?

Rifkin also asked:
*What will happen if the mice are let loose in nature?

Weissman said:
*He will keep the mice under tight control.
*If they show any humanness, he would kill him <== human is always superior, can control lives of all other beings. So......Does this mean these hybrids can never allowed to be considered as human? Even if they can think like human or act like human? Some people have pointed out that the mice experiements remind them of Pinky and the Brain.

If they can think exactly like humans and are also aware that humans have the ability to control their lives, I wouldn't be surprised if they want to revolt, or, take over the world.

Are humans suppose to, at any cost, prevent these hybrids from harming their creators?
Should these parahumans be genetically engineered to loose all ability to attack?
Should they be tamed psychologically as well as physically ?
Can they learn to live among humans?
Can they be GIVEN the opportunity to live among humans?
If their lives need to be given, are there any chance for them to be equals?