Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Humans with wings?



A plastic surgeon at Dartmouth Medical Center has reportedly stated that he is planning to graft wings onto a human, possibly within five years.
According to an article in cyberpunks.org:

Dr Joe Rosen is not a quack. He works at the acclaimed Dartmouth Medical Centre, and has been a scientific advisor to Nasa. He is fond of making statements such as: "Human wings will be here. Mark my words." He believes in all seriousness that within five years he will be able to graft wings on to a human being`s body. This is possible because our brains adapt to create neural maps for new body parts. When we have a limb amputated, our neural map of that limb gradually fades away; and if we gain a body part, our neural map expands accordingly.

"If I were to give you wings, you would develop, literally, a winged brain. Our bodies change our brains, and our brains are infinitely mouldable," Rosen has said.

Surgical techniques already in existence can be used to stretch torso fat and rejig rib bones to create a wing. Although no human would be able to fly, they would resemble angels and have full sensation in their new hanging, boned flaps of flesh. Rosen has designed blueprints. This is the new world of radical plastic surgery, where Rosen is Moses. He would not be content to settle merely for wings either. He has been working on cochlear implants to enhance human hearing (a procedure which the US military has shown interest in, raising as it does the prospect of super-human soldiers), and even tails.


I have been to some of the most up-to-date conferences in plastic surgery and have heard none of this. It sounds as unbelievable to me as it probably does to you! Instead of wings, I wouldn't mind having a third arm. I could probably operate a lot faster...

Story credit: plasticized.com

Thanks for reading.
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.
:




32 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:13 PM

    Hey Tony,

    I had seen your blog a year or so ago (I can't remember how I learned of it, perhaps a school mate mentioned the Dr 90210 show or something). Anyway, something today brought me here again. I thought this time I should say "hi". Though I should be doing client work right now, I must confess a certain "guilty pleasure" in celebrity gossip. :-)

    I hope you are doing well -- it sounds like you are. Say 'hi' to Mike for me if you have a chance.

    Regards,

    Tina (Granzo)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous12:58 AM

    I read that Slater essay. It was very interesting. Humans with wings don't sound bad, if it can be functional. Isn't it everyone's fantasy to have wings on their backs sometime in their childhood?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous9:42 AM

    Where is he planning to find wings that large to graft on anyway?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous7:12 PM

    How functional are wings on a human if you can't fly?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous8:29 PM

    How long do you think it will take before Nip/Tuck does an episode about this?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous8:33 PM

    How long do you think it will take before Nip/Tuck does an episode about this?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous8:36 PM

    But how would the wings get new feathers? I am guessing that they would either molt on their own or just fall off with normal wear and tear. And maybe I am taking this too far, but how the heck would someone with wings dress themselves???

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous2:02 PM

    Beyonce's Breast Ripple
    what say you about this?
    stacy in pasadena

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous5:45 PM

    Why would somebody want wings that don't function as wings? So they can have a freakish and hideous new appendage? Is this doc legit or is he out for headlines? I can totally see some of the kids in my class ending up like that in ten years (I'm a first-year med student)--more interested in generating news than contributing something. Hate that.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous11:20 AM

    I wonder if it'll be possible to attatch multiple tails, and wings...I'd like nine fox tails...

    there's the issue of color, as well, I personally would prefer black wings, but that also raises the question as of weather or not there will be feathers on the wings, your article said that the persons appearence will be similar to an angels, so I'm assuming the wings will have feathers of some sort.....

    The flying part dissapoints me, because I'd love to fly under a full moon, wearing a black trench coat, and carying a 6 foot sword that I'm purchasing later in the month, but that's irrelevant, I'd like toknow if it's possible to Alter the bones of the human body to allow a lighter composition, maybe like a birds, with the gas pockets within, to allow flight.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous3:37 PM

    You would have to have enormous, highly specialized back muscles in order to make use of wings. And if our neural map expands to make use of added body parts, why can't I move my toes or ears independently after having them for 35 years?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous12:30 PM

    Is it possible to plant gills?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous5:34 PM

    Oh I would literally kill to have wings, six white giant wings. Maybe I'm a bit of a transhumanist, but this guy needs to do this. I would happily add wings to me, I t would make me unique, and give me what I always wanted.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous12:02 PM

    Isn't there any way that you could put wings on humans without stretching their bones and skin out? There has to be a way to somehow plant actual wings on the human's back, close to the spinal cord. Why does it have to be that painful to get wings that dont even do anything but hang there?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous12:05 PM

    I think it would be AMAZING 2 hav wings.
    But wouldn't it be painful 2 hav 2 stretch out your skin, and rib bones?? What would be the point of gettin' such ugly wings if you couldnt even USE them?? ud just look deformed.
    Please, if there is any news of a NEWER discover, notify me..id really really like 2 be able 2 experience the feeling of being lifted off the ground!!

    thank you for researching this, and i hope u think of new ideas SOON!!!

    FROM,
    wingedchica

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous12:12 PM

    When u say that u graft wings on, do u mean
    a) you actually implant wings 2 ur nervous system so they'll actually work or
    b) just stretching your skin out, with ur ribs holding it in place just so u look like some ugly bat??

    I personally would prefer to hav BIRD wings grafted onto my spinal cord, instead of just a big stretchy THING jarring out of my back.

    No offense, i think ur doing great work, but please consider all of our opinions, and try some NEWER ideas.

    thanx,
    me

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous12:40 PM

    I saw this months ago and checked back to see if it was updated with the answer being no...how do I sign up to get wings grafted on me because I've always felt unwhole without wings...teddybearben1987@yahoo.com if anyone knows anything more on this subject

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous5:50 PM

    Heyy. I think that u should just find a way to put wings on someone's spinal cord. Is it really that hard??? Anyway please update this website so we know when u found a way to put wings on people.

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous11:32 PM

    so ur saying its possible for a human being to have wings, but u do know every human that does get wings will try there hardest to fly, i would try as well...

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous1:01 AM

    oh my god....i cant say i wouldnt kill for these. i do realize that flight wont come for many more years, since we would have to change our entire bodys and have huge sturnums. but just to have wings...to move them, flap them, show them off...i would give anything..

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous10:26 PM

    Hey,
    I am only 15 years old but i would do anything to have a pair of wings. I would even put myself in say 5 - 10 years to become a test subject. But what i want to know is, will they actually look like real wings like that guy on X-Men 3? Or will they just look like a flap of skin? Would the procedure be painfull? I would really appreciate it if you will get back to me on this. You can email me at joe.tolchard@hotmail.co.uk
    Thanks, Joe

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous6:27 PM

    i would like to have wings also... i think itwould be cool...i dont care if it will take a while...please right back

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous11:45 AM

    Please could someone email me and tell me how I sign up for this? I would love to have wings, even if they were not functional, I could still show them off :)

    Thanks so much, and my email is hahaha111823@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous9:15 AM

    i think its great what your doing maybe expand your research with a tail fox tail for example that you can control like an arm...please let us know when your finished with your wing research

    ReplyDelete
  25. i have always wanted wings ALWAYS. ever since i read this book called maximum ride i have dreamed about wings. if you were to create wings i wouldnt mind being your first voulunteer. WOULD NOT MIND. but if you were to assemble the wings would be flesh why not feathers? can i be your first subject? please? i wouldnt mind. i can stand whatever you throw at me.! well think about it, im always free. anytime you need me ill be there.

    ReplyDelete
  26. steven bahr4:54 PM

    this all sound so wonderful if you get the wings to have feathers and you get them working and available to be used( have the abilitly to move them, and feathers would be nice) I will literaly be the first the very first to volentier i will do it now matter how difficult it may be i will go through the test the experiments any thing including if if its like the flock had to go through in the book maximum ride if not at least send me an email of your thoughts on how you plan on grafing wings on humans i want to know how t might be possible. and maybe ways i could help improve your thought to make them usable for flight. this is my email
    steven.bahr@verona.k12.wi.us please this is all i want in life is to have wings.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous5:19 AM

    what about using stem cells to make "deformed arms" as wings then graft them and they would be fully functional

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous11:43 AM

    hey tony,im all up for youre wings. id do anything to be the guy u expierement on. im really wanting to get a hold of you some how so i can talk this over. i dont care how much amount of money i have to pay. money doesnt mean a thing to me. i hope you try to get a hold of me sometime. 8123564676

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous7:08 AM

    If creating an ear from stemcells is posible why not make wings from sratch 'customise'? feathers and all

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous10:26 PM

    OH MY GOD! I want wings SOOO bad! I've dreamed of having wings since I was born....but the flying part is a disappointment. I'd find a way to fly, I'd try and try. But you can graft wings on me! My email is: kaylinandrobbierutter@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hi I'm 13 years old and all my life I have been picked last, or picked on or ignored completely. I also would be the happiest person alive if I had wings. I would be looked at for once. Ahhhhhn.... Email me at gss56cp@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous7:28 AM

    I find it incredibly sad that so many people, especially young people, sound as if they truly expect to grow feathers and fly. Of course, they won't see it that way and will become irate at my comments, but real life isn't a movie or a book or a video game and coming to terms with that early will make for a happier life. A transferred rib and skin graft will not a functional wing make.

    ReplyDelete