Earlier today I wrote about the possible de-extinction of the wooly mammoth. A quote that I used and that most people who wrote about the story used, bothered me but in the context of a news story I couldn’t really get into that. Professor Alex Greenwood, an ancient DNA expert from the Leibniz Institute for…
Can we genetically improve human intelligence
At the moment IQ is a roll of the dice. Intelligence is passed down genetically and there is not very much that can be done about it. However, in the not too distant future that may change. Using gene therapy scientists may be able to improve the intelligence of children in the womb, as well…
Police may soon be able to get a picture of your face from DNA
Police have been using DNA evidence to convict, or in some cases acquit accused criminals for many years now. Characteristics such as gender and ancestry can also be determined from DNA but now an international team of researchers believe that they are close to being able to connect genetics with facial features. “We use DNA…
How to Make Life in a Bottle
There are people out there who think that the creation of life has something to do with divinity (of one kind or another) but the reality is that it’s not all that complicated. Ok, it’s a little complicated and you probably don’t have the equipment at home but the University of Chicago’s Stanley Miller demonstrated…
Suggested Reading: “Why Most of What You’ve Heard About Cancer Is Wrong”
Interesting article and podcast at Mother Jones about cancer – what it is, why it happens and why cancer and evolution may be inseparable mechanisms. In other words, cancer may be an inevitable byproduct of DNA and it may be impossible to completely eliminate it: “..modern science suggests we’ve been thinking about this dreaded disease all…
Science Finds the DNA Body Clock
This one should go a long way toward extending life expectancy. Steve Horvath, professor of genetics and biostatistics at the University of California in Los Angeles has found the human “body clock” in DNA. According to the Guardian: “A US scientist has discovered an internal body clock based on DNA that measures the biological age…
First Cloned Human Embryo Created
According to Popular Science, a team of scientists from the United States and Thailand have created the first cloned human embryo made from stem cells. This should have religious conservatives tossing and turning in bed for the rest of the year at least. Not only has a human embryo been made from skin cells but…