The Bio-Augmentation Trope In Sci-fi, Explained
In the distant future of science fiction narratives, all aspects of human physiology could be predictable, adjustable, and fully customizable. When this is achieved through robotic enhancement, it's called cybernetics, but when it's a more organic solution, the work enters into the often disgusting world of bio-augmentation.
The type of technology available in a sci-fi universe can often be one of the most important decisions in world-building. When a writer grants access to faster-than-light travel or teleportation or cloning or humanoid robots, they set the tone and evoke the tropes for that concept. Selecting something as evocative as biological augmentation as the central tech sets the audience up for some body horror with their speculative fiction.
The Nanotechnology Sci-fi Trope, Explained
Biological augmentation is the scientific process of altering the physiology, DNA, or body chemistry of a living being. This could be as simple as grafting on a new limb to replace a missing one or as complex as completely rewriting a being's central nervous system to grant superpowers. The specific circumstances of this trope demand intentional alterations, so something like the genetic mutants in X-Men or the accidental gamma radiation of the Hulk wouldn't count. These surgical success stories can result in super soldiers, but they can just as often create post-human monsters. They almost always feature some deeply unsavory side effects, and even the success stories can wind up looking nightmarish.
Bio-augmentation is an extremely common background element of science fiction stories. When a sci-fi writer wants characters to have superpowers or otherwise incredible capabilities, surgical enhancement is as good an excuse as any.
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