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Fathers’ choices may be packaged and passed down in sperm RNA

quantamagazine.org

31–40 of 196 posts

Re: Fathers’ choices may be packaged and passed down in sperm RNA

#31

Someone who works out every day will obviously have different metabolic and microRNA profiles; assuming that line of research holds up and those biomolecular profiles make it into the zygote, survive many replication cycles, and act as developmental signalling molecules affecting gene expression during embryonic and fetal development, there could be life-long effects. What can't happen is inter-generational transmiss…

We know that severe stress (such as trauma) leaves chemical marks on the genes, potentially passed down to the offspring. For example, this paper writes about an “accumulating amount of evidence of an enduring effect of trauma exposure to be passed to offspring transgenerationally: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5977074/ Though “lived experience” can encompass a lot of things, it definitely encompasses seve…

A lot of this is transmitted via the language. The stories we form as a result of events in our lives, have power to set our values in all areas. These myths of the self, have what is essentially a value manifest for someone. And these myths, can be so strongly held that it will influence the person and family’s moods, actions, habits.

What is important is to note that there are many formulas for consciousness. Some are truely bonkers, some are just fundamental truth. And some… have yet to be discovered.

Permutations and combinatorics create a hyperspace of all ridiculous things!

Re: Fathers’ choices may be packaged and passed down in sperm RNA

#32
post #24

> For instance, mouse fathers exposed to nicotine(opens a new tab) sire male pups with livers that are good at disarming not just nicotine but cocaine and other toxins as well. queue rationalist fathers microdosing nicotine patches before conception to give their kids the best chance at abusing drugs.

> rationalist

Not without a new cult spin-off you don't!

Re: Fathers’ choices may be packaged and passed down in sperm RNA

#33

assuming this is true, perhaps it's best to freeze sperm regularly with labels that way if you go off the deep end you can snapshot quite literally your best self? some possible times - right before college, right after college, after you meet someone you think you'd marry (but before you do), after marriage. seems like a neat premise for a sci fi novella.

I think trying to "tune" your kids in any way is asking to be disappointed. My three kids could not be more different and they all have the same mother, grew up in the same house, etc. If "microRNA" profiles have any influence, I would wager it's very small.

But your kids will likely not have your insights and experiences so “tuning” is another word for broadening their awareness.

Re: Fathers’ choices may be packaged and passed down in sperm RNA

#35
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Makes me wonder if that's some of the influence that different siblings get? The first born gets more ambition, the middle child chills, and the baby acts like a boomer. jk. Honestly, sounds like a great read!

Adding "jk" after a casual prejudiced insult to a demographic doesn't undo the prejudiced insult.

Which demographic was casually insulted here? The babies/third children?

Re: Fathers’ choices may be packaged and passed down in sperm RNA

#36
post #7

Lamarck has entered the chat

I see you being downvoted, but it's a good quip. Lamarckian vs. Mendelian genetics was about heritable traits being acquired in life (Lamarck), or being discrete units passed down at conception (Mendel). Genetics is almost entirely Mendelian, but some of epigenetics is durable and thus Lamarckian. There's also retroviral integrations, transposons, and all sorts of other complexities that don't fit neatly into boxes.

Interesting about the epigenetics, transposons, and other DNA augmentations…

These are all fundamentally a story of how the individual encounters and uses information in their lived experience. But there is also a very strong consensus narrative that must be respected, but also challenged and evolved. DNA is literally the informational substrate of a life… when you adopt a personal belief, or are subject to someone elses, you have the ability to help but also harm your informational substrate. Tend your garden of ideas with love and care.

Re: Fathers’ choices may be packaged and passed down in sperm RNA

#37
post #24

> For instance, mouse fathers exposed to nicotine(opens a new tab) sire male pups with livers that are good at disarming not just nicotine but cocaine and other toxins as well. queue rationalist fathers microdosing nicotine patches before conception to give their kids the best chance at abusing drugs.

What does disarming mean here?

I wound read it as “the drug has less effect” - so in that case you can better abuse these drugs if you are worse at “disarming” them I guess

Re: Fathers’ choices may be packaged and passed down in sperm RNA

#38
post #16

assuming this is true, perhaps it's best to freeze sperm regularly with labels that way if you go off the deep end you can snapshot quite literally your best self? some possible times - right before college, right after college, after you meet someone you think you'd marry (but before you do), after marriage. seems like a neat premise for a sci fi novella.

If my quicksave/quickload savescumming is to be observed, I’d be pining for that sperm from before I told the waitress “you too” wrt to her telling me to enjoy my meal.

> I told the waitress “you too” wrt to her telling me to enjoy my meal.

That's not too bad unless you are in a group and they make fun of you right away, but it's a fumble that you can fix and start a good play if you don't just get super nervous.

Laugh it off, ask her if it's not the first one, ask her to join, even if you know she's actually working and can't.

I've never done any improv, but it seems like something maybe everyone should do so we all can avoid awkward moments that stick for way longer than they should.

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