Should the gathering of experts from around the world that’s considering the scientific, ethical, and governance issues linked to research into gene editing ring alarm bells?
Despite science refuting the existence of different human races, people have used “race” throughout history to divide and denigrate certain people while promoting their claims of superiority.
The how and the when of dog domestication are fairly settled. As for the where: now DNA says Fido traces his roots back to wolves in Central Asia that lingered around people’s camps millennia ago.
The new ‘science play’ Photograph 51 is hot on the heels of a host of others, including Stoppard’s The Hard Problem. Why are audiences attracted to these right now?
Cells must repair the thousands of bits of DNA damage they incur every day. These cellular mechanisms fend off cancerous tumors, and cancer researchers are working to harness their power.
Kum Kum Khanna, Queensland Institute of Medical Research; Amanda L Bain, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute y Janelle L Harris, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
The recipients of this year’s Nobel Prize for Chemistry showed that DNA is far from static. Rather, it is bombarded by damaging forces, but our bodies know how to repair these precious strands.
The 1000 Genome Project has revealed the genetic variations that exist among people around the world, and discovered that some people are missing many genes.
Until more is understood, it’s sensible to limit experimentation that would make changes to germ line cells that would be passed on to future generations.
It takes a careful balance between art and science to illustrate the processes that take place within our cells and explain the complexities of epigenetics.