Biotech

Americans are more worried than enthusiastic about using gene editing, brain chip implants and synthetic blood to change human capabilities

Focus group participants discuss biomedical developments that could boost the performance of people’s bodies and brains

A majority of the public says science and religion often conflict, but fewer say science conflicts with their own beliefs. And highly religious Americans are less likely than others to see conflict between faith and science.

A majority of the public says science and religion often conflict, but people’s sense that they do seems to have less to do with their own religious beliefs than their perception of others' beliefs.

Despite broadly similar views about the overall place of science in America, there are striking differences between the public and scientists’ views on a host of science-related issues.

Blacks and Hispanics (46% each) are somewhat more inclined than whites (34%) to say they would want treatments to dramatically extend life.

If new medical treatments could slow the aging process and allow people to live decades longer, would you want to? Most Americans say no, but roughly two-thirds think that most other people would say yes.

No religious group in the United States has released an official statement on radical life extension. However, here are brief summaries of how some clergy, bioethicists and other scholars from 18 major American religious groups say their traditions might approach this evolving issue.