I hope that strong AI and practical gene editing becomes a reality before this bleak future kicks in.March 7, 2016 vol. 202 no. 3 869-875; DOI: 10.1534/genetics.115.180471Michael LynchAlthough the human germline mutation rate is higher than that in any other well-studied species, the rate is not exceptional once the effective genome size and effective population size are taken into consideration. Human somatic mutation rates are substantially elevated above those in the germline, but this is also seen in other species.This results in a relaxation of selection against mildly deleterious mutations, including those magnifying the mutation rate itself.Ultimately, the price will have to be covered by further investment in various forms of medical intervention.