In his genre-defining 1984 sci-fi novel “Neuromancer,” William Gibson envisioned a future filled with “joeboys,” or “nearly identical young men,” whose arms and shoulders were “bulging with grafted muscle.”
In the cyberpunk trilogy’s universe, the grafts were a prominent type of biological body modification among corporate bodyguards to increase strength and appear more intimidating.
While the intention isn’t to get swole without ever hitting the gym, scientists in China say they’ve effectively turned the concept into a reality. As the South China Morning Post reports, the researchers developed a “self-exercising” muscle graft designed to be injected under the skin. They say it could give bedridden patients a fitness boost without ever getting out of bed. These “myografts” could also be a game changer for those suffering from conditions that result in muscle atrophy and other age-related conditions.
If the current frenzy over black market unapproved GLP-1s is any indication, though, we could easily imagine certain gym bros jumping at the opportunity to inject themselves with the muscles grafts. (As Gibson once quipped, “the street finds its own uses for things.”)
