The original paper by Liao and his colleagues recognizes that bio-engineering humans is controversial. But the truth is we are already practicing selective breeding on other animal species and plants. And indeed we are pre-screening mothers to identify serious congenital diseases and terminating pregnancies in many cases.

What we’re not doing is altering our gene pool to acclimate ourselves to changing climate. Eugenics as practiced by the Nazis was all about producing an ideal looking Nordic specimen, blonde haired and blue-eyed. It’s interesting that the man so enamoured with this was himself dark haired with a comb mustache. This kind of eugenics, purely for cosmetic display still happens through selective breeding. We naturally do it.

What Liao proposes is we make a decision societally to reduce or eco-footprint not just in resource use but in ourselves. I agree with you that in general people would question doing this for lots of reasons.

As for the planet being better off without us – there are eco-crusaders who would argue that point and some would probably say that breeding an eco-friendly human would be preferable to the complete removal of the species because we no longer can feed ourselves, or find the energy to keep us warm..

Have you ever considered the possibility that this planet would be better off without the human species — either through eventual extinction or mass migration — left to rejuvenate through one of its natural cycles.