Genetically enhancing our children could raise interest rates

Once we understand the genetic architecture of human intelligence, couples will use existing fertility technologies to increase their offsprings' average IQ. Today, couples who carry harmful genes, such as those responsible for cystic fibrosis, sometimes use embryo selection to avoid passing on these damaging genes to their kids.

With embryo selection, a woman produces many embryos that are examined by a fertility clinic, and then the clinic implants in her one of the embryos that happens to be free of the harmful gene. Once we understand how DNA can influence human intelligence, fertility clinics could also base their implantation decisions on the intellectual genetic potential of the embryos.

Eventually, gene editing technologies such as CRISPR would allow fertility clinics to add into an embryo's genome beneficial variants that neither parent possesses. CRISPER holds the possibility of allowing parents to reliably birth people smarter than have ever existed.

As Steve Hsu and Razib Khan told me on my Future Strategist podcast, within five to ten years fertility clinics might well have the ability to significantly increase the expected intelligence of...