- #1
Czcibor
- 288
- 132
A few topics ago I asked about possibilities concerning maintaining contemporary tech level with seriously reduced population. Now I will ask a question for the same story.
There is a standard, generic incoming doom. The general population is already roughly aware how nasty the situation is. (with both people overreacting and underestimating the problem)
There is an Organization that can save 0.5 - 1 mln people (with soft SF means). It is effectively flooded with prospective applicants who want to be taken.
Assumptions:
- a few people (like some politician kids) has to be taken just as a racket paid to politicians of great powers to make them cooperative, however their share in the gene pool is relatively minor (less than 1%);
- there is clearly a need for experts necessary for survival, (round 10%) but even among them one can be a bit picky;
- for the rest of people there are at least 100 candidates per place; (you don't ask for any special skills in particular)
- the Organization don't want to choose the rest of lucky ones at random, but want to apply some rational mechanism of selection - they want people who are young, healthy, fit, intelligent, educated and not making troubles; (unofficially also: easy to govern)
- the Organization, if given a chance, would like to weed out genetic problems or transmittable diseases; (nothing personal, but if they have two similar people, and have to chose one, the one with hereditary problems is left)
- the Organization is neither politically correct, nor racist - it would not disqualify anyone merely for his race, nor would it care at all for keeping any ethnic quotas;
- the test have to be done rather quickly (a month or two, tops) and can not be prohibitively expensive;
- asking for showing any medical history or medical history of relatives is possible, however, people would be desperate so if only asked would gladly admit being offspring of people living as long as Methuselah or as fit as Heracles. (not mentioning that a few might even try to forge documents confirming such claims);
- there is no special preference for countries as such, but as you know when there are some life boats filled it's always: women, children and first class passengers, so selection would be presumably somewhat biased in favour of more developed countries.
OK, so two question:
1) Which tests should be applied aimed at which genetic (or transmittable) diseases? Should genetic tests be run or maybe rather analysing phenotype would be easier?
2) What should be long term outcome in next generations? (which diseases would be eliminated / reduced? Would there be any side effects?)
There is a standard, generic incoming doom. The general population is already roughly aware how nasty the situation is. (with both people overreacting and underestimating the problem)
There is an Organization that can save 0.5 - 1 mln people (with soft SF means). It is effectively flooded with prospective applicants who want to be taken.
Assumptions:
- a few people (like some politician kids) has to be taken just as a racket paid to politicians of great powers to make them cooperative, however their share in the gene pool is relatively minor (less than 1%);
- there is clearly a need for experts necessary for survival, (round 10%) but even among them one can be a bit picky;
- for the rest of people there are at least 100 candidates per place; (you don't ask for any special skills in particular)
- the Organization don't want to choose the rest of lucky ones at random, but want to apply some rational mechanism of selection - they want people who are young, healthy, fit, intelligent, educated and not making troubles; (unofficially also: easy to govern)
- the Organization, if given a chance, would like to weed out genetic problems or transmittable diseases; (nothing personal, but if they have two similar people, and have to chose one, the one with hereditary problems is left)
- the Organization is neither politically correct, nor racist - it would not disqualify anyone merely for his race, nor would it care at all for keeping any ethnic quotas;
- the test have to be done rather quickly (a month or two, tops) and can not be prohibitively expensive;
- asking for showing any medical history or medical history of relatives is possible, however, people would be desperate so if only asked would gladly admit being offspring of people living as long as Methuselah or as fit as Heracles. (not mentioning that a few might even try to forge documents confirming such claims);
- there is no special preference for countries as such, but as you know when there are some life boats filled it's always: women, children and first class passengers, so selection would be presumably somewhat biased in favour of more developed countries.
OK, so two question:
1) Which tests should be applied aimed at which genetic (or transmittable) diseases? Should genetic tests be run or maybe rather analysing phenotype would be easier?
2) What should be long term outcome in next generations? (which diseases would be eliminated / reduced? Would there be any side effects?)