Hi /sci/,
I'm an author, and I'm writing a science fiction story that involves humans reproducing with aliens.
I know that this concept is fundamentally impossible, their genomes would be vastly different to the point that it would be easier to breed a human with a sea sponge or a mushroom than an alien. Ultimately, I plan to handwave the problem by introducing alien gene editing tech later in the story, but before that happens, I want to be able to properly explain exactly why the idea of two different species reproducing or being spliced together is so absurd.
I want the main character to visit a clinic where gene editing is performed (the story takes place in a near-future setting where cancer, birth defects, and HIV have been all but eradicated through gene therapy), and have a doctor explain to him why they don't have the means to do what he requests.
The problem is, genetics is understandably a very complex field, and finding articles that summarize these specific issues is very difficult. I was wondering if anyone here could give me a rundown of exactly what would go wrong if you tried to splice the genomes of two unrelated species together?
I'm an author, and I'm writing a science fiction story that involves humans reproducing with aliens.
I know that this concept is fundamentally impossible, their genomes would be vastly different to the point that it would be easier to breed a human with a sea sponge or a mushroom than an alien. Ultimately, I plan to handwave the problem by introducing alien gene editing tech later in the story, but before that happens, I want to be able to properly explain exactly why the idea of two different species reproducing or being spliced together is so absurd.
I want the main character to visit a clinic where gene editing is performed (the story takes place in a near-future setting where cancer, birth defects, and HIV have been all but eradicated through gene therapy), and have a doctor explain to him why they don't have the means to do what he requests.
The problem is, genetics is understandably a very complex field, and finding articles that summarize these specific issues is very difficult. I was wondering if anyone here could give me a rundown of exactly what would go wrong if you tried to splice the genomes of two unrelated species together?
