History Main / Transhuman

* HalfHumanHybrid: A being that is both genetically human and non-human. These are usually conceived from [[InterspeciesRomance humans mating with other species]].

* ArtificialHybrid: Being born fully human, but is modified into a HalfHumanHybrid later in life.

In spite of being seldom mentioned by name, transhumanism encompasses many of the science fiction staples with their distinct tropes:

For some of the abilities a Transhuman might have, see the StockSuperpowersIndex; related to JustForFun/HowToGiveACharacterSuperpowers. See also NoTranshumanismAllowed. This may be used as an aspect of a {{Cyberpunk}} or PostCyberpunk setting.

Compare the {{Ubermensch}},[[note]]meaning "over-man" or "superman" in German[[/note]] whose transcendency is [[BlueAndOrangeMorality psychological and moral]] in nature rather than physical.

Subtrope of TransNature. {{Mutants}} and HumanSubspecies may or may not be a result of this, and they may be crippled instead of "enhanced". Contrast FormerlySapientSpecies. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] UsefulNotes/{{Transgender}} people, though medically transitioning is a mild form of real life transhumanist modification.

!Examples

* Right from the beginning {{Superman}} is a demonstration of this trope juxtaposed into a contemporary setting by way of technically [[HumanAliens otherworldly origin]]. Yet most of his works ultimate end up presenting him not as an alien but as an exemplar of humanity and its ultimate potential. Even Krypton tends to get similar treatment as "Earth's future" if one digs into enough comics, particular older ones, and at least one work ([[spoiler:''ComicBook/SupermanRedSon'']]) made Kryton ''literally'' Earth's future and Superman a StableTimeLoop. And while he personally averts it is no coincidence BewareTheSuperman shares his name and several CaptainErsatz of him are used to play it out. It's [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin really all right there in the name]].

* The [=BIOS=] faction from ''VideoGame/{{Allegiance}}''.

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* In ''Literature/HumanResources'' a deformed, paralyzed scientist uses his mastery of BioAugmentation to breed a race of transhumans that wind up wiping out the (original) human race.

* ''Manga/{{Biomega}}'' [[note]]:SpiritualSuccessor to ''Manga/{{Blame}}''[[/note]] takes this UpToEleven: The very first chapter features pretty much everybody who wasn't a robot, cyborg or mutant of some sort being wiped out by a full-blown ZombieApocalypse.

** The Eternals, Deviants, and to an extent, humans (or at least, their capacity for genetic mutation in the form of the 'm-gene' and 'x-gene') are a product of Celestial Experimentation, with varying results -- the Eternals are immortal psychic gods who breed about as fast as some species evolve, the Deviants are like mutants turned UpToEleven and apparently redefined both SuperDickery and FantasticRacism, and humans have the potential to produce all sorts of genetic surprises, either through direct evolution into mutants and witches and wizards, or outside influence (e.g. the Super Soldier Serum, the Hulk formula).

*** And then taken UpToEleven with another Fabula Nova Chrysalis title, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyType0'', where on top of normal people knowing magic like in XIII-2, it also features L'Cie being essentially Gods. [[ProhumanTranshuman and most of the named ones are willing to help the humans]]. [[spoiler: Two of whom even empower Class Zero to take on the Final boss, albeit at a personal cost]].

* In the [[SequelSeries series that follow on]] from ''VideoGame/MegaManX'', this becomes the [[TakeAThirdOption third option]] solution to the RobotWar that has plagued human -- and Reploidkind for hundreds of years. By the beginning of ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'', humans and Reploids have become so alike that it's become difficult to distinguish between the two. In fact, ''ZX's'' BigBad intends to take this UpToEleven [[spoiler:by evolving "beyond the mere fusion of man and machine" as the [[UltimateLifeForm ultimate Mega Man]] via the ArtifactOfDoom.]]

* IdealIllnessImmunity: It's not just that all diseases are easily cured –- you simply never get them in the first place.

* In ''FanFic/TranscendantHumanity'', the human race has gone down this path in the absence of Element Zero. The average person can freely switch from body to body, and even minimally augmented humans possess vast physical capabilities.

* The driving background element for the entire ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' series:
** Transhumanism is a major theme in ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution''. You've got people in support of it, people against it, lots of reasons for both pitted against each other in several debate scenes, and Adam Jensen himself has lots of cybernetic upgrades, also called augmentations.
** In ''Deus Ex'' itself, heavily augmented humans are commonplace. The primary motivation of the villains seems to be to [[spoiler:establish themselves as posthuman overlords, ascending to godhood while ruling over a population of unaugmented minions.]]
** ''VideoGame/DeusExInvisibleWar'' has several factions, some who area gainst transhumanism, like the Purists, and others who are all for it, like the Omar, who radically alter themselves to the point where they no longer look human and are in the early stages of a being a HiveMind. There are several possible endings, portraying [[spoiler:either a pseudo-religious backlash against all transhuman technology, the peaceful integration of trans- and normal humans, or the complete (but involuntary) ascension of the species to a new plane, depending on player choices.]]

** Out of concerns that species might lose their biological uniqueness, genetic enhancements are regulated by interstellar accords. The general rule of thumb about this is that enhancing existing traits through genetic modification is okay, but adding new traits that the original would never naturally possess is forbidden. So for example, a human could be made smarter, stronger, and quicker, but could not be given a tail or the ability to digest cellulose. This seems to only apply to genetics though (as those are passed down to children.) Cybernetics (which are not) seem to be acceptable.

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* LegoGenetics: AKA genetic engineering, the primary method of biological modification.

* SufficientlyAdvancedAlien: Nearly always have advanced themselves to god-like power instead of starting out like that.

* SuperSerum: One of the ways to become one, but be wary of its PsychoSerum cousin.
* SuperSoldier: This one usually relies on the physical aspect of transhumanism for war.

* Certain humans in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'', after Equestrian magic has been introduced to the human world by Sunset Shimmer in the first movie. The human equivalent to the Mane Six "pony up", that is gain magic abilities equatable to their pony counterparts, while nearly all the antagonists are humans (or in a couple of cases, plants) who have managed to become (at worst) {{Humanoid Abomination}}s. No really, Sunset, [[NiceJobBreakingItHero thanks for that]]. Spike's human world, who's a regular dog, also eventually becomes much smarter and even begins talking.

%%** A more fantastic version could also be applied to [[RealityWarper Q]] and the rest of the [[EnergyBeing Continuum]].

* SuperHumanTrafficking: Abuse of transhumans via slavery, organ trafficking, and other means.

* Others worry about human alteration being a tool for the authoritarian regimes, similarly to [[TheSocialDarwinist Eugenics]], and thus the destiny of mankind could potentially end up being directed by an EvilutionaryBiologist with [[{{Hubris}} a superiority complex]].

* ArtificialHuman: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin A man-made biological/organic human]], often with [[DesignerBaby purposefully modified genes]].

* {{Cyborg}}s: Cybernetic enhancement. This is what most people think of when they think of transhumans.

%% Image removed per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1459705382098944400&page=1#3
%% Please see thread to discuss a new image.

* IdealIllnessImmunity: It's not just that all diseases are easily cured – you simply never get them in the first place.

* The philosophy of SEELE in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' believes that all human individuals are inherently weak and fragile, which is why they want to alter mankind to a higher existence of life using the power of the [[EldritchAbomination Angels]].

* ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell'': Cybernetics are extremely common, with nearly everyone possessing at least a [[BrainComputerInterface cyberbrain]] and some people going so far as to [[FullConversionCyborg replace everything but their brains]]. ArtificialIntelligence is highly advanced, but not quite human-level yet. And in [[Manga.GhostInTheShell the original manga]] and [[Anime/GhostInTheShell1995 the films]], [[spoiler:the Major fuses with an emergent intelligence]].
* In the entirety of ''Manga/{{Blame}}'', we do not see a single purely biological human. Everyone is heavily modified, be they cyborgs, human-descended androids, or gene-modded superhumans. The closest to "pure" human we get is Seu, and he's an eight-foot giant with enough enhancements to fight in hand-to-hand combat with advanced Silicon Life warriors, who has been reconstructed and had his personality restored from backup countless times. Most "normal" humans were exterminated by either the Silicon Creatures or the Safeguard, given the events of ''[=NOiSE=]'','' Blame!'s'' prequel.
* ''Manga/{{Biomega}}'' [[note]]:SpiritualSuccessor to ''Manga/{{Blame}}''[[/note]] takes this UpToEleven: The very first chapter features pretty much everybody who wasn't a robot, cyborg or mutant of some sort being wiped out by a full-blown ZombieApocalypse.

* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', humans have various degrees of self-enhancement. Some become walking armor, some get artificial limbs, and still others get transmuted into chimeras with new functional abilities. They have various degrees of acceptance of these transformations, as none of them was by choice. There are also the homunculi, who consider themselves an evolved form of humans.
* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' has [[spoiler: the Titan Shifters, humans who have gained [[LovecraftianSuperpower fleshy conservation-of-mass-violating abilities]] from contact with a mysterious 'co-ordinate.']] The how and why of their abilities drives the story, but the fact of their existence is enough to distort the world's military politics around themselves.
* Similar to the below-mentioned ''Franchise/KamenRider'', ''Manga/{{Cyborg 009}}'' had nine people kidnapped and [[UnwillingRoboticisation forcibly turned into cyborgs]] by a sinister weapons-dealing organization called the Black Ghost. While the Black Ghost's intentions were evil (they wanted to make cyborgs to be used as living weapons, so war could be continued in space after the planet was destroyed), the cyborgs themselves [[PhlebotinumRebel kept their original personalities and were good people]]. The Black Ghost would go on to make more cyborgs, most of them to kill or recapture the first nine, who ranged from being sadistic killers to being good-hearted but forced to fight for various reasons.

* ''Manga/KnightsOfSidonia'', by Creator/TsutomuNihei, the creator of the above mentioned ''{{Manga/Blame}}'' and ''{{Manga/Biomega}}'', still has transhumanism running through it. ''None'' of the characters are a baseline human. All but one of the characters have been modified to get at least part of their energy from a form of photosynthesis, Tanikaze (the only non-photosynthesising character) has enhanced healing, the Honoka sisters are a batch of clones with SuperStrength, Lala is a human mind in a bear body with a cybernetic arm and Izana is an example of a "third" gender with both male and female characteristics that gradually shifts to either male of female after they develop an attraction to a person of the other gender. And that's just at the start. Things only ramp up from there in later chapters.
* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', there are the Vinsmoke Family princes (and princess) who are Modified Humans [[DesignerBabies artificially altered in-utero]] to surpass the limits of humanity through augmented superhuman physicals and corruption of their mental sense of empathy through DNA tampering. These royals were also given exoskeletons that require the likes of hammers and hydraulic presses to fix when damaged. Something similar also applies to the [[CloneArmy clone soldiers]] of Germa 66, who the Vinsmoke Family command.
* ''Anime/ID0'' has the "Mind Trance System", which allows humans to control HumongousMecha called I-Machines by transferring their consciousness into the machine, allowing them to use the machines as naturally as they would their flesh-and-blood bodies. I-Machines are ideal for work in extreme conditions such as space, and even if the machine is destroyed while a person's consciousness is inside, death is a non-issue so long as the pilot backs up their consciousness data before activating the system: the only negative effect is the loss of one's memories during their time controlling the I-Machine. And then there are the "Evertrancers": people who, for whatever reason, transferred their consciousness into an I-Machine on a more permanent basis. Most of the protagonists, the members of the Excavate Company, are Evertrancers: Rick Ayers, for example, suffered a severe injury that left him paralyzed before becoming an Evertrancer. However, becoming an Evertrancer is considered [[NoTranshumanismAllowed a felony and gravely immoral besides]].

* Right from the beginning {{Superman}} is a demonstration of this trope juxtaposed into a contemporary setting by way of technically [[HumanAliens otherworldly origin]]. Yet most of his works ultimate end up presenting him not as an alien but as an exemplar of humanity and its ultimate potential. Even Krypton tends to get similar treatment as "Earth's future" if one digs into enough comics, particular older ones, and at least one work ([[spoiler:''ComicBook/SupermanRedSon'']]) made Kryton ''literally'' Earth's future and Superman a StableTimeLoop. And while he personally averts it is no coincidence BewareTheSuperman shares his name and several CaptainErsatz of him are used to play it out. It's [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin really all right there in the name]].

* ''ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}}'': People buy "traits" in bulk ranging from [[CureForCancer cancer cures]] to implanted cellphones to alien genes. A few people [[BrainUploading upload their brains]] into clouds of {{Nanomachines}} called foglets.
* ''ComicBook/TheSurrogates'': Everyone uses [[RemoteBody remote bodies]].
* In the appropriately named ''Transhuman'' by Creator/JonathanHickman medical advances make it possible to give people super powers. However there is a one power limit so everybody opts for HealingFactor.
* ComicBook/IronMan has been doing everything he can to transhumanize himself, ranging from cyborg parts to a SuperSerum. Of course, it's debatable how much of this is symbolic of the lack of humanity in his ''behavior'' during the ComicBook/CivilWar and its aftermath. Many fans theorize that the Extremis Formula ''[[PsychoSerum caused]]'' a lot of his [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul erratic, high-handed behavior,]] either by directly affecting his mind or just giving him a superiority complex.
** In Creator/OrsonScottCard's version of [[ComicBook/UltimateIronMan Ultimate Tony's]] origin, he was born with a HealingFactor because of experiments by his parents. This seems to be getting treated as CanonDiscontinuity, however.

* The short-lived Creator/DCComics series ''ComicBook/TheNewGuardians'' (unrelated to the later ''Comicbook/GreenLantern'' spinoff) involved a GambitRoulette by the [[Comicbook/GreenLantern Guardians of the Universe]] to turn humanity into a race of transhumans. Unfortunately, the series' execution was lacking, and it's been forgotten. The method for spreading super-genes through the population was to [[EverybodyHasLotsOfSex have sex with as many people as possible]] by picking people up in singles bars ''specifically'' to get them pregnant -- despite one member of TheTeam being an apparently sterile cyborg and another being gay.
* ComicBook/CaptainAmerica would have been the first of an army of {{Super Soldier}}s if the formula [[NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup hadn't been lost]] immediately afterward. It's worth noting that the existence of a few other, far less successful supersoldiers like [=USAgent=] stand as proof that it's not just Cap's ''powers'' that make him Captain America, it's his personality.
** Captain America is constantly described as Peak Human, regardless of some of his more exaggerated feats.
* ComicBook/TheInhumans, [[ComicBook/TheEternals Eternals, and Deviants]] (as well as the [[ComicBook/XMen mutants]], in a roundabout way) are humans [[TouchedByVorlons genetically modified by aliens]].

* In ''FanFic/TranscendantHumanity'', the human race has gone down this path in the abscence of Element Zero. The average person can freely switch from body to body, and even minimally augmented humans possess vast physical capabilities.

* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'': Bonus points for explicitly portraying the morality and 'heart' of the Super Soldier as being just as important as physical (and possibly mental) improvements. There's no PsychoSerum either -- they both got the same SuperSerum, but Schmidt's corrupt mentality resulted in him being [[EvilMakesYouMonstrous transformed into a monster]] while Steve's goodness made him a true superhuman.
* ''Film/TetsuoTheIronMan'': The protagonists. Sure, they become grotesque walking lumps of scrap metal, but as the films go on, they can sprout guns from their bodies, become [[TankGoodness giant tank things]] and crawl on walls.
* ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'': Notable because of the franchise's [[TranshumanTreachery attitude towards]] [[NoTranshumanismAllowed this subject]] in the past that a heavily-augmented human (named Science Officer 0718) appears as a member of the ''Enterprise'' crew. [[spoiler:Possibly as a minor counterexample to Khan, since he doesn't have any major significance beyond calling out a couple of lines. Although in the comics he turns out to be an ArtificialHuman created by mistake. But still, he's allowed to join the crew rather than being seen as science gone mad]].

* ''Film/{{Lucy}}:'' The protagonist is accidentally exposed to a SuperSerum (through being a drug mule), and finds her mental powers rapidly expanding. She quickly realises that this will end badly for her, and shows herself to be a ProHumanTranshuman by searching for a way to preserve and transmit her new knowledge.

* Almost everyone in ''Literature/{{Duumvirate}}'' is either born transhuman, becomes transhuman, or desperately wants to be transhuman. When your regeneratively immortal friends can play BulletHell games at maximum difficulty without breaking a sweat, and [[DodgeTheBullet dodge actual bullets]] for that matter, you tend to get a deep appreciation for genetic superiority.
* In Nietzsche's ''Literature/ThusSpakeZarathustra'', Zarathustra preaches that mankind's future lies into the {{Ubermensch}}, a form of spiritual/mental transcendence into an existence that does not need God.
* Creator/AlastairReynolds' work is full of this, especially the [[Literature/RevelationSpaceSeries Revelation Space]] universe.
* ''Literature/{{Neuromancer}}'': Cybernetics and bioengineered organs are used by a number of characters, and the protagonists' employer is an AI seeking to merge with another.
* ''Literature/{{Schismatrix}}'' explores the concept in great depth.
* Most citizens of Literature/TheCulture are semi-immortal posthumans who can change sex at will, have drug-producing glands in their brains, and can [[BodyBackupDrive download their backups into clones if killed]].
* Creator/GregEgan often uses this trope in his novels.
* ''Literature/LilithsBrood'': The alien Oankali [[OurHumansAreDifferent modify the human species]] to be LongLived and resistant to disease; a few, like Lilith, also get SuperStrength, a HealingFactor, and a limited ability to interface with Oankali OrganicTechnology. Terms and conditions apply.

* ''Literature/TheWaySeries'' by Greg Bear touches heavily on this. The multiverse-traveling inhabitants of The Way are [[spoiler:humans from another timeline]] who have completely transcended the limitations of the flesh. Their bodies are more or less artificial, usually designed personally by their inhabitants -- examples include floating crystal fish, spheres, and for the nostalgic, improved versions of the basic humanoid body. They've perfected mind-uploading, and while they are physically mortal, they are long-lived and each citizen is granted two extra bodies after their first one dies. When the third body dies, they still have mental immortality in cyberspace and, if they're useful, may be granted even more bodies by the government. In addition to all of this, they can send [[VirtualGhost partial copies of their personalities]] (which do not have full sentience or legal person-hood, apparently) to [[MundaneUtility attend meetings]] or carry out tasks they cannot fulfill in person. Enough of these copies and you can even [[spoiler:mostly reconstruct a person whose mind was deleted from the net.]]
* ''Literature/OryxAndCrake'': Crake designs a new species of human who mature quickly, eat only plants, turn blue when they go into heat, can heal wounds by purring, and keel over at the age of thirty. It's made pretty clear that he was [[MadScientist insane]].
%%* ''Literature/TheDiamondAge''
* ''Literature/TheTuringOption'' by Harry Harrison and Marvin Minsky.
* ''Literature/TheQuantumThief''. Notably the society of Oubliette on Mars is resistant to most transhuman technologies, being built on the ideals of privacy and individuality, yet from the reader's perspective it's still filled to the brim with transhuman technology designed to ensure this state of affairs. For starters the citizens all have a specialized privacy sensory organ called Gevulot through which the majority of their communication takes place.
* Many of Creator/RobertReed's novels and short stories deal with transhumanism and effective immortality.
** ''Literature/SisterAlice'' follows the life of a young boy, part of a [[TheClan Great Family]] of transhumanist [[PhysicalGod gods]] created to rule over the immortal galaxy.
** The ''Literature/GreatShip'' universe goes into a bit more depth. So long as the ceramic brain is intact, the individual can be revived. And in this case, "intact" is pretty broad. One man shoots himself in the head to stow away on a ship (life signs detectors can't find you if you're dead!), and the captain is so impressed that she makes him a lieutenant. Humanity has had some pretty significant biological changes, as well -- every human has artificial constructs in their bloodstream called "emergency genes" which make them absurdly durable, and will [[HealingFactor regenerate tissue and limbs if given enough mass]]. Human blood flows so thickly with engineered cells and {{Nanomachines}} that [[AlienBlood it has become almost black]]. The Captains of the [[PlanetSpaceship Great Ship]] have extensive augmentations, usually data stores that allow them to have almost perfect recall for their the [[TimeAbyss hundreds of thousands of years]] of duty to the Ship.
** ''The Winemaster'' had a significant portion of the United States population [[BrainUploading download their brains]] into tiny, [[YearOutsideHourInside fantastically fast]] robotic bodies, who are isolated into enclaves which use magnetic fields to protect their fragile minds from heavy particles and radiation. By the time the story takes place, most of the posthumans were [[MechanicalLifeforms never even human to begin with]] -- instead being the artificially created "children" of the original posthumans.

* Creator/CharlesStross uses it quite a bit, particularly in ''{{Literature/Accelerando}}'', ''{{Literature/Glasshouse}}'', and Literature/TheEschatonSeries.
* Discussed towards the end of Creator/VernorVinge's novella "Literature/TrueNames", when Slip and Ery finally meet face-to-face. Not too surprising, since Vinge is generally credited with popularizing the idea of TheSingularity.
* Mentally challenged Charlie Gordon from ''Literature/FlowersForAlgernon'' had his intelligence surgically enhanced to superhuman levels, but [[spoiler:[[FlowersForAlgernonSyndrome the change was only temporary]]. Worse, as most of the lab animals who received the operation eventually died, [[DoomedProtagonist Charlie probably doesn't have that long to live either.]]]]
* In ''[[Literature/DivineBloodNovels Diving Blood]]'', the Demoness Lilitu mentions that former humans outnumber individuals that are [[BornOfHeavenAndHell half-God and half-Demon]].
* The SpiritCultivationGenre is transhumanism by means of Taoist Alchemy.
* In ''Literature/StarTrekExMachina'', it's revealed that Will Decker was essentially a 23rd century transhumanist, with a personal spirituality deeply concerned with "unexplored potentials of the human mind". His particular dream was an AllYourPowersCombined scenario whereby different species could transcend their limits by uniting their psyches and spiritual essence. This, he hoped, would let them sense or reach new levels of existence. For this reason, he was strongly drawn to species with telepathic abilities.
* In ''{{Literature/Aristoi}}'', everyone has perfect health, BioAugmentation, and a BrainComputerInterface. And the Aristoi themselves are even ''better''.
* Creator/RichardKMorgan likes this trope.
** In the ''Literature/TakeshiKovacs'' series, all humans have their identities backed up in "cortical stacks" that can be [[BodyBackupDrive transferred to any body (aka "sleeve") they wish]]. Many sleeves are artificially created to have a range of nonhuman enhancements. They can also upload themselves into non-organic robot bodies or simply into computer programs.
** There are several [[HumanSubspecies experimental engineered human species]] in ''Literature/BlackMan''... the bonobos, designed to be sexy and submissive (and exclusively female), hibernoids who go from frenzied sleepness workaholism to extended hibernation sleep (useful on a slow-travelling spacecraft) and of course the 'Variant Thirteens', scary pre-civilisation throwbacks who are incredible badasses combined with a complete disregard for hierarchial authority structures and no need to feel a sense of belonging.
* The ''Literature/{{Deathstalker}}'' series gets a few different variants of transhumanism, ranging from cybernetic implants to drugs to a madness-inducing alien maze which ''directly'' unlocks humanity's potential (if it doesn't kill you first). Most of these don't work out very well.

* ''Literature/TheNexusSeries'' outright references transhumanism and posthumanism by name from the first chapter. The main characters are living during the advent of BioAugmentation, BrainComputerInterface, BrainUploading, and other revolutionary technologies. The [[GovernmentAgencyOfFiction Emerging Risks Directorate (ERD)]] was created in the United states specifically to [[NoTranshumanismAllowed stamp out such technology]].
* In ''Literature/AngelStation'', both protagonists are [[MultiArmedAndDangerous genetically]] [[{{Main/Technopath}} engineered]] for best performance in space. This seems to be rather normal in their culture.

* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/FoundationSeries'':
** Many characters develop PsychicPowers due to improving their innate abilities. These characters include the Second Foundation, Gaia, and [[spoiler:Daneel, who was modified to gain {{telepathy}} by Giskard]].
** ''Literature/FoundationAndEarth'': The Solarians have [[BioAugmentation engineered themselves]] into being "whole" humans, meaning they contain [[{{Hermaphrodite}} both male and female genitalia]], which they use [[TrulySingleParent to become pregnant with offspring]] and created "transducer lobes", which grant them the ability to [[MindOverMatter direct any ambient energy flow into doing work that they desire, without the need to touch the thing they want to move]].
* ''Literature/{{Domina}}'':
** Due to the use of the toy maker, an easy BioAugmentation device, the city slides closer and closer to this every day. Nearly every single person is enhanced, from physical strength and enhanced senses to disease resistance. Sickness is mostly eliminated, and easy replacement organs are perfected over the course of the story. Even starvation is mostly a thing of the past, as plants and food animals can be altered, combined with humans who need less food and can eat absolutely anything. The problem is that [[WretchedHive most of the people of the city use these incredible advancements to kill each other]].
** The fey are quite a bit farther up the scale than anyone else in the city. In addition to being responsible for most of the monstrous animals running around, they [[PeopleJars keep their bodies in tubes]] where they are constantly being fixed and healed by the toy maker, while they use [[OurHomunculiAreDifferent remote-control clone bodies called homunculi]] to interact with the world.
* Oleg Makushkin's ''Crystal Lattice'' takes place several centuries from now, where the world is constantly torn by the conflict between the Cyberempire (also known as the [[MegaCity Cybercity]] and is implied to take up North America) and the Gaian Republic (dominates Eurasia). Both are totalitarian regimes supposedly focused on the betterment of humankind, except the former seeks to do it through cyborgization (all too frequently, [[UnwillingRoboticisation unwilling]]) and the latter through BioAugmentation. They have already fought three wars and are currently fighting a fourth. There are fewer and fewer neutral areas remaining in the world, one of which is the isle of Skjeld. Neither side is portrayed as sympathetic, perfectly willing to torture and kill innocents for their goals. The novel focuses on several [[DefectorFromDecadence defectors]], who seek to find a quiet place and wait out the war. The problem? He is a Cybernetic (although wishing to escape that life), and she is a Gaian (but far too idealistic for the grim realities of war), both having been taught to hate one another. As expected, they become StarCrossedLovers.

* Creator/TomKratman's novel ''Literature/{{Caliphate}}'' portrays an incipiently posthuman future in rather {{dystopia}}n terms, against the backdrop of an escalating "clash of civilizations" between reactionary and modernizing cultures. The titular Caliphate is completely opposed to transhumanism, and doesn't have the infrastructure to develop the science even if they wanted to (though they [[{{Hypocrite}} still import some technology]] for unofficial use). By contrast, the Celestial Kingdom of the Han (i.e., [[IstanbulNotConstantinople China]]) seems to be the most transhumanist power in the setting (though India is said to be not very far behind, and there are hints that Japan might also be in the race): they have a number of science fiction technologies in more or less wide use, including ElectronicTelepathy, NeuralImplanting, {{Body Backup Drive}}s and the ability to create tailor-made fully {{Artificial Human}}s for a given assignment. The [[OppressiveStatesOfAmerica Imperial States of America]] also has at least some of this technology, but theirs is seemingly less advanced, and their attitude toward it is also quite different: they regulate it tightly, use it [[GodzillaThreshold as a last resort]] when nothing else works and generally view it with [[EvenEvilHasStandards horror]], whereas the Chinese rather seem to [[FullyEmbracedFiend embrace]] it.
* ''Literature/TheElderEmpire'': The Imperial Guard are improved by the Alchemist's Guild, given [[OurMonstersAreDifferent kameira]] parts to enhance their capabilities. Meira is a far more extreme example; under the Emperor's orders, the guild used horrific and painful procedures to turn her into an amalgam of a dozen different kameira, making her strong enough to fight a [[OneManArmy Champion]].
-->'''The Emperor:''' Since this body cannot do the job, we will have to build you a new one.
* ''Literature/{{Digitesque}}'': Before the Fall, humans modified themselves to have strange powers and abilities. A thousand years later, people are randomly born with "gifts" that they use to help their villages survive. [[spoiler:Ancient humans also created an artificial afterlife that all minds are uploaded to on death, even now. Most of the immediate problems in the series are caused by glitches that have arisen in the afterlife]].
* ''Literature/HyperionCantos'' by Dan Simmons has altered humans in the form of the Ousters.

* This is half of the origin story of the original Series/KamenRider: Takeshi Hongo is kidnapped by the terrorist organization Shocker, and upgraded and brainwashed into one of their cyborg super soldiers. The other half? He's a PhlebotinumRebel, and uses his new powers to fight against his "creators".
** The trope happened to every other Showa-era Rider as well, and for some of the Heisei Riders. (Ishinomori had a thing for the trope, in the sense of how one can find or lose their humanity through it.)
* ''Series/ChoujuuSentaiLiveman'' has some fun with this trope -- all the members of Volt manage to play out this trope in different ways, with the exception of Guardroid Gash. [[spoiler: And ''all'' of them die less than pleasantly for it, save one.]]

* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'': Calvin Zabo concocted a SuperSerum for himself after HYDRA mutilated his wife and separated him from his daughter. Holden Radcliffe is a transhumanist scientist who replaced his right eye with a synthetic prosthesis based on a bird's, granting him an enhanced vision

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'', this is a theme of Sorcerers. As they advance in power, the supernatural bloodlines that give them their natural magic also begin transforming their bodies in subtle, then overt ways.
* ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}: TabletopGame/TranshumanSpace'' has multiple levels of human genetic modification, artificial humans, artificial intelligence, nanosymbionts, brain uploading (albeit one-way) and uplifted animals. Very few cybernetics though, they're considered outdated.
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'', many people have some degree of mechanical alteration -- cybereyes are the most common bit of cyberware in the world. Mages on the other hand can't use them with out messing up their Essence/magic. Also, the metahuman races are humans who have been altered by the return of magic.
* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' has mechanicum {{Cyborg}}s, [[BioAugmentation augmented]] SuperSoldier SpaceMarines, as well as their [[PsychicPowers psychic]], [[TheCorruption Chaotically]] powered, and {{Cyborg}} versions, [[GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke genetically engineered]] SuperSoldier [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orks]] who also come with crude cyborknetic and psychic versions, and [[TheUndead undead]] full-body {{Cyborg}} conversions that come in [[SpaceElves Eldar]] and Franchise/{{Terminator}} rip-off versions. There are undoubtedly countless more examples, [[EverythingTryingToKillYou all of them trying to kill you]].

* In ''TabletopGame/StrikeLegion'', transhumanism is ubiquitous. The average human in either the Imperium or the Star Republic is already genetically enhanced to the point that they make modern humanity look like degenerate apes. This is before factoring in extensive bio-augmentation, cybernetic implants, and nanotech enhancements which are commercially available to civilians and military. And ''that'' is before one gets into the Imperium's countless supersoldier programs (cybernetic modification, genetic modification, [[DemonicPossession extradimensional modification]], genetically-enhanced RealityWarper powers....) and the Republic's [[OneManArmy Legion]] [[PersonOfMassDestruction Process]].

* ''Franchise/MassEffect'' has humans that are enhanced both through gene therapy and cybernetic enhancements. Furthermore, in utero exposure to the substance "Element Zero", the AppliedPhlebotinum responsible for the titular [[MinovskyPhysics Mass Effect]], has caused a small percentage of the population, known as biotics, to gain powerful [[MindOverMatter telekinetic abilities]] by projecting mass effect fields from their bodies. To make practical use of their abilities, biotics require a piece of wetware to regulate their nervous system called a "biotic amplifier". The amps themselves are modular, the sockets implanted in the biotic's head are not so much.
** In the sequel, Shepard's resurrection necessitated "Bio-synthetic fusion" where Shepard was given extensive cybernetic implants wired throughout their body that serves to reinforce their skeletal structure, enhance strength, improve organ function and supplement their central nervous system. The ''Project Overlord DLC'' reveals that Shepard is just about machine enough to briefly be taken over by the Overlord "Virus", while the ''Citadel DLC'' from the third game has EDI comment that Shepard is roughly 30% synthetic.
** [[spoiler:All organic beings become transhuman in the "Synthetic" ending]] of ''VideoGame/MassEffect3''.
*** It also applies to the [[HiveMind Geth]] in the same game, if [[PlayerCharacter Commander Shepard]] so chooses, as [[spoiler:each Geth program becomes a sentient entity in and of itself]].
** Out of concerns that species might lose their biological uniqueness, genetic enhancements are regulated by interstellar accords. The general rule of thumb about this is that enhancing existing traits through genetic modification is okay, but adding new traits that the original would never naturally possess is forbidden. So for example, a human could be made smarter, stronger, and quicker, but could not be given a tail or the ability to digest cellulose. This seems to only apply to genetics though (as those are passed down to children.) Cybernetics (which are not) seem to be acceptable.
** ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'' revisits this with the human Pathfinder, Alec Ryder (and later, [[PlayerCharacter one of his children]]): he conceived the Simulated Adaptive Matrix, SAM, as a new type of artificial intelligence that could co-exist with a human host. Everything Ryder experiences, SAM also experiences, their relationship one of symbiosis that expands on the potential of both human and AI. This is because the implants that connect Ryder and SAM go further than those for just biotics, connecting to not only the host's nervous system, but their circulation, endocrine functions, and all five of their senses.

* The Advent from ''VideoGame/SinsOfASolarEmpire'', in contrast to the NoTranshumanismAllowed Traders. Part of the reason why the Traders exiled them in the first place. The alien race present in the game, the Vasari, are as of their in-game state, also technologically improved to varying degrees from their biological baseline.
* Terran Ghosts from ''VideoGame/{{StarCraft|I}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{StarCraft II}}'' both thanks to their inherent psychic abilities and the technology and training that helps them harness it (and keep it under control). Also, Protoss Dragoons, Immortals and Stalkers are mildly Trans-Protoss by virtue of their mechanical bodies.
** The goal of the Zerg Overmind was to assimilate new races, becoming more Trans-Zerg each time. The Overmind's finest creation was Kerrigan, the first Zerg to wield psionic powers.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', primarily through {{Nanomachines}}.[[note]][[ParrotExposition Nanomachines]]?![[/note]]
** The series also has {{cyborg}} (ninjas) and [[PsychicPowers psychic soldiers]] running around. Cyborgs in particular play a big part in ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'', where the post-''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' world sees them becoming so common that entire armies of cyborg [[PrivateMilitaryContractor PMC's]] are present and most combat veterans have some degree of cybernetic upgrade.
* The driving background element for the entire ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' series:
** Transhumanism is a major theme in ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution''. You've got people in support of it, people against it, lots of reasons for both pitted against each other in several debate scenes, and Adam Jensen himself has lots of cybernetic upgrades, also called augmentations.
** In ''Deus Ex'' itself, heavily augmented humans are commonplace. The primary motivation of the villains seems to be to [[spoiler:establish themselves as posthuman overlords, ascending to godhood while ruling over a population of unaugmented minions.]]
** ''VideoGame/DeusExInvisibleWar'' has several factions, some who area gainst transhumanism, like the Purists, and others who are all for it, like the Omar, who radically alter themselves to the point where they no longer look human and are in the early stages of a being a HiveMind. There are several possible endings, portraying [[spoiler:either a pseudo-religious backlash against all transhuman technology, the peaceful integration of trans- and normal humans, or the complete (but involuntary) ascension of the species to a new plane, depending on player choices.]]
* "Transhuman" is a [[TranshumanTreachery politically loaded]] word in the ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' [[VichyEarth universe]]. Any human who volunteers to join the Overwatch is brainwashed, gutted, dismembered, and rebuilt as a cyborg. [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul The augmentations make them entirely dependent on the Combine.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' takes place in a future where cybernetics have become increasingly commonplace, with many characters such as [=McCree=] and Torbjörn having some of their body parts replaced with prosthetics. And then there's Genji, who was on the brink of death after a duel with his brother Hanzo until Overwatch rescued him and replaced most of his body with cybernetics. After the fall of Overwatch, Genji suffered an identity crisis over whether he was still human or more machine than man, until he met Zenyatta, who taught him that he is both machine and man, and that there is virtue in such an existence. Genji eventually came to terms with his existence, believing that while his body may be machine, his soul is still human.

* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'':
** Alice Margatroid used to be human, but transformed into a magician {{youkai}}. This seems to be the ultimate fate of magic-users -- lapping so far around they become supernatural creatures with some human traits rather than humans with some supernatural traits.
** Byakuren Hijiri is very big in surpassing human limitation, and [[NoTranshumanismAllowed got banished to the aforementioned Pandemonium]] by humans who weren't pleased with her becoming a youkai. She has an arsenal of body-enhancing spells, for beauty and for combat. One of her spellcard is titled ''Superhuman Byakuren Hijiri''.
** Ironically, Byakuren's major ideological rival Toyosatomimi no Miko is ''also'' a big proponent of transhumanism, claiming that her own transformation into a [[EnlightenmentSuperpowers hermit]] was "overcoming her humanity". The main difference between them is whether they would consider being a youkai acceptable.
* In the [[SequelSeries series that follow on]] from ''VideoGame/MegaManX'', this becomes the [[TakeAThirdOption third option]] solution to the RobotWar that has plagued human- and Reploidkind for hundreds of years. By the beginning of ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'', humans and Reploids have become so alike that it's become difficult to distinguish between the two. In fact, ''ZX's'' BigBad intends to take this UpToEleven [[spoiler:by evolving "beyond the mere fusion of man and machine" as the [[UltimateLifeForm ultimate Mega Man]] via the ArtifactOfDoom.]]
* Hub Hikari, aka [=MegaMan.EXE=] in ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'' and ([[WildMassGuessing possibly]]) Dr. [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Light]] in ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' are this via BrainUploading.

* The Spartans in ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'', although in the games they're portrayed more as soldiers wearing PoweredArmor. The EU goes a great deal further into explaining that they biologically and cybernetically enhanced the bejeezus out of them before putting them into their really fancy armored suits. As such, the in-game physical strength and stamina of the Spartans comes from a combination of their biological enhancements and their powersuits. The biological enhancements are also portrayed as ''necessary'' to wear the suits; one of the novels has a regular human in the armor shattering his bones just by trying to move normally.
* Albert Wesker in the ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games and ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'' aims for enhancing his body with biological weapon projects, as well as experimenting them on various people to try to improve them as well (usually with disastrous results).

* In ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}}'', this is the ultimate goal of Jacob Hargreave. He has been working for [[spoiler: [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld more than a century]]]] to prepare mankind for war with the [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Ceph]], using [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum their own stolen technology]] to enhance human technology, and it culminates in the Nanosuits, which are hyper-advanced PoweredArmor designed to turn their wearers into "post-human warriors." They go so far as to [[spoiler: literally replace entire organs, co-opt brain functions, and generally turn their wearers into full-on nanotech cyborg supersoldiers]], and are capable of [[spoiler: sustaining a person even after death]], and on top of that, they contain internal machinery and advanced computers that can sample, analyze, and adapt to Ceph environmental weapons.
** And in the third game, you go even further: [[spoiler:"Prophet" is no longer human at all, but a walking mass of nanosuit muscle with the memory fragments of Laurence Barnes and Alcatraz knocking around in his/its databanks. He/it even gains the ability to morph into human appearances at the very end.]]
* In ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'', protagonist Samus Aran has had durability, agility, strength, poison resistance, and parasite resistance enhanced via addition of alien DNA, and has been shown to have her PoweredArmor literally attached to her nervous system, to the point where she can make it suddenly appear by concentrating (although taking it off again is a bit more complicated, as the doctors found out in ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion''). It's entirely possible she's also got a menagerie of superpowers in her DNA from ''Fusion'', but it's never made quite clear if those powers are DNA-based or not (and the issue is debated heatedly).
* All of the demigods in ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath'' are transhuman, as well as descended from transhuman beings.

*** And then taken UpToEleven with another Fabula Nova Chrysalis title, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyType0'', where on top of normal people knowing magic like in XIII-2, it also features L'Cie being essentially Gods. [[ProhumanTranshuman and most of the named ones are willing to help the humans]]. [[spoiler: Two of whom even empower Class Zero to take on the Final boss, albeit at a personal cost]]

* This is a major plot point in ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'': [[spoiler:it is revealed that every human you've met, including ''yourself'', is actually a "mimeosome", an android controlled by the consciousness of humanity trapped in the core of the White Whale's Lifehold. BLADE's mission is to find the Lifehold so they can revive the humans inside before it runs out of power and they all die. By the end of the game, the Lifehold's computer has been destroyed; as a result, humanity as we know it is extinct, and the only remnants of it now are the mimeosomes on Mira.]]
* The ethical ramifications of transhuman engineering are touched upon in ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'' once you come across the cybernetically-altered aliens, particularly the Floaters, who are essentially Mutons whose lower bodies have been hacked off and have had jet engines integrated into their backs. Dr. Shen, in particular, is horrified by the idea, and even moreso that that humanity might end up following the aliens' path. He also expresses both apprehension and awe when XCOM figures out how to develop PsychicPowers. Goes even further with the ''Enemy Within'' expansion, where the player is able to apply the aliens' own "Meld" technology with their soldiers, enabling them to create genetically-boosted and/or cybernetically-enhanced supersoldiers piloting MiniMecha.
* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', this is one of the theories about what the [[OurDwarvesAreDifferent Dwemer]] were trying to do when they [[RiddleForTheAges mysteriously disappeared]]. They were a [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien highly technologically advanced]] race whose creations are still unmatched by any other race even in the thousands of years since their disappearance. [[BlueAndOrangeMorality A major part of their outlook]] was the idea of refuting ''everything'' as real, including themselves. When they discovered the [[CosmicKeystone heart of a dead god]], they attempted to tap into its power, likely hoping to [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence reforge themselves as ascended god-like beings]]. Whatever happened, it caused every member of their race to blink out of all known planes of existence in an instant.
* In ''VideoGame/CivilizationBeyondEarth'', each of the three Affinities represents a different level of Transhumanism. [[GoodIsOldFashioned Purity]] factions stay recognizably human, but seek to eliminate disease and weakness through genetic manipulation, [[GreenAesop Harmony]] factions also stay recognizably human, but they splice themselves with alien lifeforms to allow them to breath the planet's air and integrate with its ecosystem, and [[ScienceHero Supremacy]] factions go all the way, replacing their bodies with machinery and [[BrainUploading becoming sentient computers]].
** The expansion pack ''Rising Tide'' adds some additional takes on it with their "Hybrid Affinities". Purity-Harmony are the most explicitly transhumanist, using genetic engineering and lessons learned from the new planets biology to create better (at least in their minds) humans. Meanwhile Supremacy-Harmony results in rather disturbing mixes of cybernetics and bio-technology, though their driving philosophy is more "power at any cost". Purity-Supremacy eschews the transhumanism for baseline humans backed up advanced robotic drone technology but keeping the two parts distinct.
* In ''Videogame/{{Destiny}}'', Golden Age humanity was this thanks to the Traveler's technology, with enhanced bodies that did not suffer from disease and possessing triple the normal human lifespan. They even developed sentient humanlike machines called Exos, which are theorized by the current human society to have been an effort at true immortality via BrainUploading.
* Racter from ''Videogame/ShadowrunReturns: Hong Kong'' is a transhumanist and you can spend a lot of discussions with him discussing its implications in a universe where [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul Cybernetics Eat Your Humanity]] is written into its foundations due to people's personal mana fields being disrupted by replacements. Racter himself believes that the essence limit is just due to In{{sufficiently Analyzed Magic}} and that it will be overcome [[spoiler:by sociopaths such as himself, who are immune to the mental effects of cyberization.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'': Absolutely everyone. The Grineer are [[CloneArmy expendable clones]] who make up for their [[CloneDegeneration failing genetics]] with [[{{Cyborg}} extensive cybernetics]], the Corpus have enough genetic engineering that [[LongLived a hundred years is considered barely a teenager]] and also use plenty of cybernetics, and even the primitive human tribes scattered around the Origin System have inherited enough enhanced genetics that they are far superior to modern humanity. The Tenno, the {{Player Character}}s, are the biggest transhumans of them all, but also the most horrible: [[spoiler:The warframes were originally humans mutated by the Technocyte Plague, but the process drove them insane with rage and pain. The Operators were normal children (though they had all the genetic and cybernetic enhancements typical of their time) who suffered a Void-jump accident and gained strange Void powers that made them something more than human. The children were able to tame the warframes by showing them [[YouAreNotAlone basic empathy and compassion]], and together they became the Tenno]].
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem:''
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar'', and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776,'' in the ancient past of the continent of Jugdral, [[PrecursorHeroes a group of 12 heroes]] who became known as the 12 Crusaders made magical pacts with immensely powerful, godlike dragons, getting blessed with physical or magical abilities beyond those of normal humans as well as a powerful magic weapon. They passed on the power to their descendants in the form of Holy Blood. Holy Blood exists in a major and minor variant; both give a unit stat boosts that give them an edge in combat over those without it, but the major variant gains more significant stat boosts and grants the unique ability for a carrier to wield their lineage’s immensely powerful AncestralWeapon.
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses,'' special powers called Crests exist on the continent of Fódlan. They are the result of the human heroes of the distant past, the 10 Elites and Four Saints, being magically infused with the blood of Sothis, the goddess of the Church of Seiros, though [[spoiler:the Four Saints are non-human [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Nabateans]], dragons who were [[TheMaker created by the goddess]] and received her blood voluntarily, while the human 10 Elites [[HistoricalHeroUpgrade took it forcibly]] after their leader Nemesis killed her.]] The original bearers of these Crests passed down their Crests to their descendants. Humans who inherit Crests [[spoiler:or have Crests forcibly implanted into them]] gain special abilities those without don’t have that have a chance of activating in combat, from life draining enemies, to dealing extra damage with attacks, to increasing healing done with healing spells, to negating an enemy’s counterattack. Like the Holy Blood of Jugdral, Crests come in both major and minor variants; major Crests activate more often than minor.

* ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'' is loaded with the stuff. Cyborgs, {{nanomachine}}-based boosts, genetically engineered sophonts (including {{uplifted animal}}s), and that's just for humans. Interestingly ''Schlock Mercenary'' approaches the the concept from the other side as well. Haban II and The Fleetmind/Petey started out as pure AIs residing in computer systems but both have since have partially migrated into organic vessels. Haban started as the AI half of the human/AI team of [=DoytHaban=] but after his gate clone suffered a severe head injury, functionally killing Doyt, leaving one version with Haban as the sole intelligence. Petey on the other hand created multiple 'blank' clones and use hypernode communicators to wire them into the Fleetmind Gestalt to act as physical representatives. Note that Petey did this ''specifically'' to loophole his creators' version of the [[SecondLawMyAss Second Law of Robotics]], by giving himself orders from an Ob'enn body.
* ''Webcomic/AMiracleOfScience'': The colonists on Mars have become a super-advanced HiveMind.
* The Valkyries of ''Webcomic/CwynhildsLoom'' are cyborg {{Super Soldier}}s.
* ''Webcomic/AmongTheChosen'' most of the cast fits into one type or another, though there are a few unmodified humans.

* ''Very'' deeply explored in ''WebOriginal/OrionsArm'', to the point that baselines (regular non-modified humans) are something of an endangered species by 10600 AT. It's also not limited to humans; several xenosophont species have also embraced self-enhancement, and animals both terragen and alien have been [[UpliftedAnimal provolved to sophonce]].

* {{Nanomachines}}: One of the most common ways to become Transhuman is through them.

* ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell'': Cybernetics are extremely common, with nearly everyone possessing at least a [[BrainComputerInterface cyberbrain]] and some people going so far as to replace everything but their brains. Artificial intelligence is highly advanced but not quite human-level yet. And in the original manga and the films [[spoiler: the major fuses with an emergent intelligence.]]

* In ''[[Literature/DivineBloodNovels Diving Blood]]'', the Demoness Lilitu mentions that former humans outnumber individuals that are [[MixedAncestry half-God and half-Demon]].

* ''Literature/TheWaySeries'' by Greg Bear touches heavily on this. The multiverse-traveling inhabitants of The Way are [[spoiler:humans from another timeline]] who have completely transcended the limitations of the flesh. Their bodies are more or less artificial, usually designed personally by their inhabitants--examples include floating crystal fish, spheres, and for the nostalgic, improved versions of the basic humanoid body. They've perfected mind-uploading, and while they are physically mortal, they are long-lived and each citizen is granted two extra bodies after their first one dies. When the third body dies, they still have mental immortality in cyberspace and, if they're useful, may be granted even more bodies by the government. In addition to all of this, they can send [[VirtualGhost partial copies of their personalities]] (which do not have full sentience or legal person-hood, apparently) to [[MundaneUtility attend meetings]] or carry out tasks they cannot fulfill in person. Enough of these copies and you can even [[spoiler:mostly reconstruct a person whose mind was deleted from the net.]]

For some of the abilities a Transhuman might have, see StockSuperpowers; related to JustForFun/HowToGiveACharacterSuperpowers. See also NoTranshumanismAllowed. This may be used as an aspect of a {{Cyberpunk}} or PostCyberpunk setting.

** ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': Julian Bashir is transhuman thanks to his genetic enhancement. He puts it to good use. Other genetically enhanced people, however, tend to end up having various drawbacks, including mental instability or [[AmbitionIsEvil evil-inducing levels of ambition]]. However, due to genetic modification of this type being illegal, it's carried out primarily on children who are already "damaged" by doctors with restricted resources and no support. The Star Trek universe is kept from full-scale transhumanism primarily by editorial dictates.