Biohacking is becoming increasingly popular among significant portions of the population worldwide. You have probably heard of biohacking related to the wellness and dieting industries. Technology has provided a fascinating cross-over between biology and machines, starting with wearable devices such as smartwatches and up to medical implants such as hearing aids or insulin pumps in medicine. And while medicine is reaching results never seen before with projects like Neurolink, there’s also a less-known niche of futuristic non-medical applications, where humans are expanding their senses and capabilities with devices implanted in their bodies. In this article, we want to introduce you to the world of transhumans and a brand-new breed of hackers.
What is biohacking?
Biohacking uses science, technology, and self-experimentation to enhance and optimize the body and mind. It could be as easy as adopting a specific dieting and fitness style to alter your appearance or taking drugs to improve your cognitive abilities in view of a test. However, it goes as far as DYI biology and genetic modification. Biohacking is often motivated by the desire to push the boundaries of human capabilities, achieve peak physical and mental performance, or meaningfully alter one’s biology.
Examples of biohacking
Nootropics
Nootropics (also known as cognitive enhancers) are substances, often supplements or drugs, that improve cognitive function, particularly memory, creativity, and motivation. For example, people are increasingly taking modafinil, a drug initially developed for narcolepsy, to enhance focus and alertness, especially in high-pressure work environments.
Intermittent Fasting and Ketogenic Diet
Biohackers often adopt specific dietary protocols like intermittent fasting or the ketogenic diet to improve metabolic health, mental clarity, and physical endurance. For example, following a ketogenic diet (high fat, low carb) to enter a state of ketosis, where the body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates, leading to weight loss and enhanced mental focus.
Nutrigenomics
Nutrigenomics involves tailoring diet and nutrition based on an individual’s genetic makeup to optimize health and prevent disease. For example, genetic testing can be used to determine specific dietary needs, and a customized diet plan can be followed that maximizes nutrient absorption and minimizes the risk of genetically predisposed conditions, like heart disease or diabetes.
Genetic Modification
CRISPR or other gene-editing technologies can alter one’s DNA to achieve desired traits, such as increased muscle mass or disease resistance. Biohackers can experiment with DIY CRISPR kits at home to modify their genes to boost muscle growth or reduce the risk of some genetic conditions.
Wearable technology
Wearable technology allows people to integrate technology with the body to monitor and optimize health and performance. For example, we can wear devices like Oura rings, Apple Watches, or Fitbits to track sleep patterns, heart rate, and activity levels, and we can then use the data to make informed decisions about diet, exercise, and sleep.
Implants and Enhancements
Implanting devices or materials into the body can enhance physical capabilities or give people new sensory abilities. For example, people can implant an RFID chip under the skin to unlock doors, start a car, store personal data, or embed a magnet in their fingers to sense electromagnetic fields.
What is a trans-human?
When combined with technology and medicine, biohacking pushes the boundaries of human existence beyond biology. It shapes hybrid humans with technology, called trans-humans.
In other words, a transhuman is an individual in the transitional phase between being fully human and becoming posthuman—a more advanced, evolved version of humanity enhanced through technology, science, or other means. The term is most commonly associated with the field of transhumanism, which explores the ethical and philosophical implications of using technology to overcome the limitations of the human body and mind.
The core idea of transhumanism is to use science and technology to overcome biological limitations, such as aging, disease, and even death. It envisions a future where humans can achieve:
- Superintelligence: Far beyond the natural capabilities of the human brain.
- Superlongevity: Lifespans that are indefinite or vastly extended.
- Superwellbeing: Elimination of suffering through mental and physical enhancements.
If you think this is theoretical, you’re in for a big surprise. Thanks to technology and people’s willingness to test it on themselves, biohacking is reaching unexplored limits.
Meet trans-human hacker Len Noe
What happens if this implantable technology ends up in the hands (literally) of a hacker? We met Len Noe at the 2024 Hacker Halted conference in Atlanta. Len is a skilled hacker and has embraced biohacking by adding several non-medical implants to his body. What can he do with these? First, he can open doors and hack into any mobile device just next to you. In this interview, he talks about his implants, new abilities, and motivations. By doing so, he opens the door to new ethical and practical questions: are we ready to protect ourselves from enhanced hackers?
Ethical debates around transhumanism
Transhumanism raises questions about ethics, identity, inequality, and existential risks. Should human enhancement be limited? How do we ensure equal access? What does being human in a transhuman or posthuman state mean? Could enhancements widen social divides? Could advanced technologies or artificial intelligence endanger humanity?
Essentially, a transhuman embodies these early stages of radical human enhancement, moving closer to a “post-humanity” vision in which humans evolve beyond their current physical and intellectual constraints.
With the advancements in AI and quantum computing, humanity can be redefined over a few decades.
