DIY (do-it-yourself) has expanded into unexpected fields, like biohacking. From using black oil in your eyes for night vision enhancement to installing an implant into an ear canal – the possibilities are limitless!
Biohackers may express frustration with traditional rules and regulations, yet this should not automatically justify disobeying such measures. Both groups should collaborate on creating a code of ethics to enable coexistence without conflict.
How it Works
“Biohacking” may sound futuristic or scary. In reality, however, biohacking refers to an activity within the DIY/maker community which seeks to engineer their bodies to improve health and well-being by selecting appropriate foods or using electric shock therapy as pain relief methods.
Biohacking may not be for everyone; it takes commitment, time and energy to master. Some may find they cannot get the desired results through biohacking techniques and become disillusioned and frustrated with it all. Furthermore, some biohackers may attempt to achieve goals outside the realm of accepted scientific research such as creating superhuman traits with illegal genetic engineering techniques.
Biohacking encompasses various disciplines, such as nutrigenomics, quantified self, and grinder. Nutrigenomics entails using diet and lifestyle choices to influence specific genes responsible for responding to food. Furthermore, it may help reduce disease risks due to your genetic make-up.
Quantified self biohacking entails using devices to track your health and wellness data, which is then analysed by artificial intelligence to provide tailored recommendations for improving it. For example, wearable devices can monitor heart rate and activity levels and send this data straight to your smartphone in order to detect patterns that could indicate future health problems.
Science for the Masses conducted an impressive biohacking experiment by inducing night vision in human eyes using a chemical cocktail of chlorophyll analogs – similar to what deep sea fish use to see at night – injected directly into one eye of Licina, their guinea pig. She saw up to 160 feet in pitch blackness!
Nootropics, or “brain booster” supplements, are another popular biohack for improving learning and memory by increasing blood flow to the brain while decreasing stress hormones. Popular examples of nootropics include deanol, DMAE, Ginkgo Biloba Extract (GBE) and Rhodiola Rosea.
Getting Started
At a time of rising DIY furniture and gadget tinkering, it should come as no surprise that DIY biology has become popular. From creating cheap EpiPens to night vision eye drops, biohackers are exploring their bodies while crafting DIY tools to improve their lives.
AI-driven biohacking entails using cutting-edge technologies to optimize human biology and health. It employs sophisticated algorithms to analyze biometric, genetic, and lifestyle metrics data gathered through biometric testing, genetic sequencing analysis, or lifestyle metrics measurements and then providing personalized recommendations on improving one’s wellbeing. AI biohacking offers an easy way to leverage big data with advanced computing techniques for improved health management.
Cognitive biohacking is an emerging field within biohacking that aims to enhance brain functionality through various techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) using magnetic fields to stimulate neurons, thus improving memory and focus. Cognitive biohacking also involves taking supplements or apps designed to boost mental performance such as meditation or cognitive training software to achieve this aim.
Biohacking encompasses other fields as well, such as nutrigenomics – an approach which promises to tailor diets based on how food affects an individual’s genes – as well as supplements designed to enhance bodily functions and complement other biohacking methods.
Biohacking offers numerous advantages, yet it is important to exercise caution and seek medical advice when testing new hacks. Some practices can be hazardous and pose ethical concerns; for instance, DIY biohacking involves using substances or technologies which are illegal or restricted/controlled in certain jurisdictions; improper implementation could cause legal and health complications that require medical intervention.
As the biohacking movement can be confusing and misleading, with unsubstantiated claims about improving health and wellbeing being made without sufficient scientific proof. Therefore, it is imperative that one performs self-assessment before making moderate lifestyle changes and then monitor their effects closely. Furthermore, seeking professional guidance for any interpretation or implementation of biohacking techniques.
Testing Your Eyes
Do-it-yourself (DIY) movements are flourishing around the world and penetrating fields you wouldn’t expect them to. From homemade furniture to EpiPens, people are using DIY to get creative in their labs — including science. But biohacking takes this DIY spirit one step further by allowing individuals to alter their biology for personal gain – though caution must always be exercised as eyes should always seek medical advice prior to undertaking such experiments.
Just north of Los Angeles, an independent group of DIY researchers have successfully produced eye drops that they claim provide their subjects night vision. Science for the Masses are conducting tests using Chlorin e6 (or Ce6) a chlorophyll analog found in certain deep sea fish which has been used as a treatment for night blindness in some cases. They recruited Gabriel Licina as their test subject.
They spent six months reading scientific papers and developing their formula, tweaking it until they felt confident to test it on subjects. Their own DIY drop solution used Ce6 with insulin and dimethlysulfoxide to increase permeability – applied directly through syringe and watch what happened!
Results were incredible: when they placed the guinea pig in a pitch-black field, he was able to spot objects up to 160 feet away with 100 percent success rate, outperforming control group members who hadn’t applied Ce6. Unfortunately, however, vision didn’t last and team is currently investigating any side effects on eye structure – yet this experiment represents just what’s possible when applied DIY biohacking!
DIY biology is still in its infancy, and not everyone may enjoy tinkering. Altering diet and exercise routines are one thing; trying to add superhuman abilities with DIY eye drops or homemade cybernetic devices is quite another matter altogether. Biohacking research may take decades before anyone achieves human-level night vision; nevertheless this type of research is the heart of biohacking.
The Final Words
Some biohackers express legitimate frustrations at the pace of mainstream scientific progress. Yet their calls for self-experimentation with powerful biological tools could have dire repercussions for both individuals and society as a whole. DIY biology labs may introduce contamination into the environment while forcing individuals to circumvent laboratory safety protocols; digital biohacking involves altering technological aspects of our bodies like implanted devices whose experimentations could threaten both data security and personal privacy.
Due to these considerations, it is critical that the scientific community recognizes and addresses the risks posed by biohacking vision. A great way to do this would be through opening dialogue between professional scientists and engineers and those within the biohacking community; this dialogue could help clarify both roles while increasing transparency for all individuals experimenting with advanced biotechnologies.
Furthermore, it’s essential that “biohacking” be reserved for those who use biotechnology to improve their health and wellness rather than those simply trying to leverage existing tech to maximize performance of their bodies. Experiments involving augmented reality, genetic modification or neural implants fall more in line with this movement than simply seeking to maximize exercise performance by eating certain food or supplements.
One of the main criticisms of biohacking is its transformation into self-help pseudoscience. Many supplements marketed as biohacking have little benefit for those taking them; in reality they’re no more than nutritional fads with no proven track record of effectiveness.
Finally, it should be emphasized that some examples of biohacking involve the use of dangerous materials and equipment. To protect themselves against potential risks associated with biohacking experiments, anyone looking into biohacking must first consult with a qualified physician in order to ensure their experiment is both safe and tailored to meet the individual’s individual needs. Furthermore, scientific communities must recognize that attempts at democratizing biotechnology without proper oversight could have devastating repercussions for both individuals and society as a whole.
