October
JuneSpitting chips
Last week it was reported on television that a cyber scientist is the first person in the world to have been infected with a "computer virus", via a computer chip. He had had the chip inserted next to his thumb, allowing him to operate all his accounts and helping with a variety of daily activities. He suspected he had contracted a virus, and when the chip was removed, it was found to have been infected. It is not known yet to what extent his health has been affected.
This is clearly a prime example of the Law of Unintended Consequences, as scientists had not anticipated that a computer virus could have a biological effect.
However, it has now been realised that wearers of a computer chip could in fact have their DNA affected or even scrambled, either accidentally or deliberately. The seriousness of this issue is underlined by Professor Lord Martin Rees, internationally acclaimed cosmologist and astrophysicist and president of the Royal Society, who has predicted that humankind has only a 50/50 chance of survival to the end of this century, due to the malign or accidental consequences of technology.
The ramifications of this are clearly enormous, particularly in view of the fact that all our thoroughbred horses are now required to have microchips inserted, and there is therefore the distinct possibility of extreme danger to our horses’ health and welfare.
I would be interested in feedback from your readers as to whether any of them have any further information on this issue, and share my concern.
We still have to brand our horses, and DNA test with hair samples, so why do we need a computer chip as well?
Warrnambool (Vic)