Can AI liberate humans from the shackles of evolution?

July 6, 2023

Think about it. Future humans should be able to liberate themselves from the shackles of evolution. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the most promising tool to help us beat our only limitation, which is ignorance. 

This article is a piece of heresy. Those who venerate evolution and nature should not read it. This article talks about sugar, fat, and oxygen metabolism as evolutionary hindrances that should be replaced instead of fixed. 

Understandably, life requires energy for survival, maintenance, growth, and reproduction. Without energy, life cannot be sustained, cannot flourish, or do anything else. However, that does not mean that humans should be forever bound to depend on the energy sources and metabolic mechanisms randomly and blindly produced by evolution and natural selection. 

AI is our best bet so far to keep fighting our only ignorance, which is our only limitation in this multiverse. Knowledge should help us break away from food, water, and oxygen dependance. Along with AI, future humans should design and engineer ways to be powered by other sources of energy (e.g. photovoltaic cells, electronic batteries, etc) and to be "unplugged" without dying. Future humans should be able to safely and soundly transplant their brains and spinal cords into better and more advanced bionic bodies. 

SUGAR DEPENDENCE

Glucose (sugar) is our primary energy source. Through a process called glycolysis, our bodies metabolize (transform) glucose into a fuel called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). First, glucose enters the bloodstream after being released in the stomach from ingested carbohydrates or by the liver (glycogenolysis or gluconeogenesis). 

With the help of insulin, glucose in the bloodstream is transported to cells, particularly muscle tissue and fat (adipose) tissue. Once inside cells, enzymatic reactions in the cytoplasm (liquid inside cells) convert glucose into a chemical compound called pyruvate that is processed either aerobically (with oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen). 

Aerobically, pyruvate enters the mitochondria and undergoes further oxidation through aerobic respiration. During aerobic respiration, glycolysis generates ATP, the body's energy fuel, through oxidative phosphorylation. 

Anaerobically, pyruvate is converted into lactate through fermentation. This occurs when energy demands exceed oxygen supply, such as during intense exercise. Lactate is released into the bloodstream and transported to the liver, where it can be converted back into glucose ("Cori" cycle).

The final products of glycolysis are two molecules of pyruvate, along with some ATP and reduced electron carriers such as NADH (reduced form of NAD+). Pyruvate can then enter other metabolic pathways, depending on the availability of oxygen and the specific cellular conditions. In the absence of oxygen, pyruvate can undergo fermentation to produce additional ATP, while in the presence of oxygen, it can be further oxidized in the mitochondria to generate more energy through aerobic respiration.

Glycolysis is tightly regulated by hormones, such as insulin and glucagon, to maintain blood glucose levels within a narrow range. Disruptions in glucose metabolism can lead to conditions like diabetes, where insulin function is impaired, affecting the body's ability to properly metabolize glucose.

Glycolysis is a crucial step in cellular energy metabolism, providing an initial source of ATP and metabolic intermediates that feed into various other metabolic pathways. It is an ancient and conserved process that allows cells to efficiently extract energy from glucose, supporting the energy needs of living organisms.

FAT DEPENDENCE 

Lipid metabolism breaks down stored fats (triglycerides) into smaller components that can be utilized as an alternative source of energy when the body is depleted of glucose. When glucose levels are low, and the body needs energy, hormonal signals trigger the release of stored fat from fat cells (adipocytes). The hormone responsible for this process is called lipase, which breaks down triglycerides into fatty acids and glycerol. The fatty acids and glycerol released during mobilization enter the bloodstream, where they bind to a protein called albumin. This transport protein carries the fatty acids to different tissues and organs in the body. 

The fatty acids are taken up by various tissues, such as skeletal muscle, liver, and heart, where they undergo oxidation (also known as beta-oxidation) within the mitochondria. Beta-oxidation breaks down the fatty acids into two-carbon units, which enter the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle) to generate ATP, the body's fuel.

The glycerol released during triglyceride breakdown can also be converted into glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis, which can be used as an additional energy source. Fat metabolism occurs continuously in the body, even when you're not actively engaging in physical activity. However, the rate at which fat is metabolized can be influenced by factors such as exercise, diet, hormone levels, and overall metabolic health. Additionally, certain conditions, such as insulin resistance or hormonal imbalances, can affect fat metabolism and lead to difficulties in weight management.

OXYGEN DEPENDENCE 

Oxygen respiration allows organisms to extract more energy from nutrients by using oxygen as the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain. Oxygen respiration enabled more complex and energetically demanding organisms to thrive. It also contributed to the development of Earth's diverse ecosystems as we know them today. The transition from anaerobic to aerobic metabolism marked a significant milestone in the history of life on Earth and set the stage for the further diversification and complexity of organisms.

Cellular respiration fuels the glycolysis process explained above. Again, this involves the breakdown of glucose and other fuel molecules to produce the fuel used by all cells in the body, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). As electrons flow through the electron transport chain, their electricity pumps hydrogen ions (H+) across the inner mitochondrial membrane, creating an electrochemical gradient. This gradient is harnessed by enzymes to produce ATP.

Without oxygen, the electron transport chain would not function properly, causing a halt in the production of ATP. This would severely impair cellular energy production and compromise the functioning of various physiological processes.

In addition to its role in cellular respiration, oxygen is also involved in other cellular processes, such as the detoxification of harmful substances and the regulation of gene expression. Overall, oxygen is crucial for the survival and proper functioning of human cells, enabling them to produce energy efficiently and support the myriad of processes necessary for life.

EVOLUTION AND NATURAL SELECTION

The blind and random processes of evolution and natural selection got us where we are now. We have heavenly brains and nervous systems tied to complex and primitive organic cells and systems. This was not planned or designed. It simply happened under evolution's blind mantra of whatever works, works (www). 

Oxygen respiration, for example, emerged in the course of evolution around 2.5  billion years ago during a period known as the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE). Prior to the GOE, Earth's atmosphere had very low levels of oxygen. Bacteria changed things.

Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) developed photosynthetic capabilities to harness energy from sunlight. Oxygen was released as a byproduct. Over time, the cumulative release of oxygen by cyanobacteria and other oxygenic photosynthetic organisms led to a substantial increase in atmospheric oxygen levels. 

The rise of oxygen levels during the GOE set the stage for the evolution of oxygen respiration in organisms. Initially, oxygen may have been toxic to many early life forms that were adapted to low-oxygen or anaerobic environments. However, some organisms evolved randomly to utilize oxygen as a more efficient energy source.

TILL SUGAR, FAT, AND OXYGEN DUE US PART

For humans, a few minutes without oxygen is a death sentence. A clogged artery preventing the flow of oxygenated blood into the heart, produces an oftentimes deadly heart "attack". Every single cell in the body depends on a practically constant flow of oxygen to survive. Sugar and fat can also spell health problems and early death for humans. The excessive consumption of sugar and fat leads to deadly consequence in far too many humans.  

There is no reason to depend on sugar, fat, and oxygen to survive. We could become electronic creatures fed directly by electricity without the highly complex, super delicate, and ultra primitive metabolic processes inherited from evolution. We need to find ways of not only fixing our bodies, but also ways to replace our biological bodies all together. 

There is no reason for human life to be forever tied to the constraints inherited from evolution and natural selection. We can do better; much better. The development of artificial intelligence (AI) is crucial to develop the knowledge we need to break away from the shackles of evolution. 

The current medical approach of fixing our bodies is fine for now, but it is just as nonsensical as fixing a super old car instead of replacing it with a newer and better one. In the future, humans can become small bionic Darth Vaders without having to be bitter and evil about it. 

Instead of fixing the current biological bodies of primates, future humans can develop better and more t technologically advanced bodies. Instead of fixing an old piece of equipment, we should replace it with a newer and better technology. Progress is about pushing updates and upgrades rather than stagnating or going backwards defending past dogmas and traditions. 

Future humans should strive to take human life to a higher level, above and beyond the constraints inherited from blind evolution. The only limitation is ignorance. The best solution is more intelligence. The way forward is more and more AI to improve our lives. 

What do you think?

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