THE human race has come a very long way in a short amount of time, but what is coming around the corner will change everything we thought we knew about mankind.

Imagine being able to choose if your unborn child will be male or female, their height, weight and even athletic prowess. Now imagine hacking our memories or making our bodies able to thrive in extreme environments in which survival was previously impossible. These are both quickly becoming a reality, according to founding director of the Life Sciences Project at Harvard Business School, Juan Enriquez.

Allowing humans to become masters of their DNA is something can be achieved using a gene editing technique known as CRISPR - a simple yet powerful tool used to easily alter DNA sequences and modify gene function. "These instruments, like CRISPR, are allowing us to, in real-time, edit life on a grand scale," he said, according to Futurism. "We are rewriting the sentences of life to our purposes."