Health & Medicine
Through the study and use of genetics, we can identify measures that could lead to the improvement of human health and wellness. These methods and procedures aim to prevent years of chronic disease and thousands of dollars in health care costs, and provide families and communities with knowledge of how to live healthier.
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Women in science: Geneticist Pamela Ronald, developer of GMO flood-resistant rice
[T]he breakthrough that finally created rice seeds strong enough to stand up to blight and flood came when Pamela Ronald ...
Overcoming genetic risks with healthy lifestyle choices
It is often said in the context of lifestyle diseases that “genetics loads the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.” This ...
‘Roundup Facing the Judges’: Documentary promotes glyphosate conspiracy theories, pseudoscience
[Editor's note: Øystein Heggdal is a Norwegian agronomist. He holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and natural resources. He is ...
Why some Amish are genetically wired to live longer
Although known mainly for their adherence to an older, simpler way of life, some Amish folks also have a genetic ...
Future of heart medicine: Stem cells to grow cardiac muscle and smaller medical implants
If heart transplantation - 50 years after Christiaan Barnard carried out the first operation - has become routine, what exactly ...
Viewpoint: EU’s glyphosate herbicide fight reveals limits of Europe-wide governance
Glyphosate, the ubiquitous herbicide, may not really be poison, but it could well be the most politicized substance in Europe. In ...
Why all identical twins who are overweight are not identically obese
Identical twins have the same genomes, but they don't always look exactly the same, particularly in regards to weight. Science ...
Skin color and ‘race’: Genetics reveal complicated relationship
For much of recorded history, skin color has been loaded with powerful social meaning. Skin color plays a major part ...
Anti-GMO group March Against Monsanto promotes, profits from anti-vaccine ads
Visit the March Against Monsanto website and you'll see a strange ad peppering the pages, among the usual dubious stories about ...
Fighting poverty with GMOs: Filipino farmers turn to insect-resistant Bt corn to boost yields, income
Agricultural choices don't just affect food availability. They also have significant economic and social ramifications. A case in point is the ...
Viewpoint: Food Evolution movie shows GMO supporters ‘you’re not alone’
If you have the opportunity to see the documentary “Food Evolution,” do it. It has been the most talked-about food and agriculture ...
Economist: EU’s GMO crop ban likely led to lower corn, soybean yields in Europe compared to US
Is it true that a ban on GM crops in the European Union has hurt productivity? Most likely yes, retired ...
Exorbitant costs of gene therapy raise payment concerns for patients and government
[Editor's note: Executives from several companies developing gene therapies gathered for a panel discussion at the recent Forbes Healthcare Summit, ...
‘To lose them would be a disaster’: More than 20 wild relatives of modern crops added to ‘threatened’ list
Wild relatives of modern crops deemed crucial for food security are being pushed to the brink of extinction, according to ...
Viewpoint: Anti-GMO scare tactics show need for scientific literacy
Many of the arguments made by organic supporters and GMO critics aren't supported by science. That combination can have harmful ...
Migraine relief: First drug in 20 years that can prevent and cut in half length of attacks
A new migraine drug that can halve the length of attacks has been hailed as “the start of real change” ...
Genetics and eating: Why diets don’t work the same for everyone
New research from scientists at Texas A&M University found that a standard diet doesn’t work for everyone, in a study ...
French farmers: 3 years too short to develop viable replacement for glyphosate herbicide
President Emmanuel Macron’s promise to rid France of controversial weedkiller glyphosate within three years has left some farmers in the ...
What can other African countries learn from South Africa’s experience with GMO crops?
Despite promotion of GM crops, adoption has been slow across the continent. South Africa began using the technology in the ...
Neuron by neuron: We often examine the brain too closely to see the big picture
[Rafael Yuste thinks neuroscientists have been looking at the brain too close. “It’s just like a TV screen—if you’re watching ...
Surrogate granted limited parental visitation rights by UK court, rejecting genetic connection
In the surrogacy world, one of the worst case scenarios for intended parents is that the surrogate will change her ...
Reexamining common genetics lesson: At least 49 genes contribute to earlobe attachment
A common, hands-on method for teaching genetics in grade school encourages students to compare their earlobes with those of their ...
Genomics AI tool: Google’s DeepVariant released as open source
A novel artificial intelligence tool that can accurately call out variants in sequencing data was released as open source on the ...
USDA again probes National Organic Program’s ‘weak’ import controls, putting label’s integrity at risk
The USDA’s National Organic Program completed more complaint reviews and investigations that it received in 2017. It finished work on ...
Judge dismisses lawsuit against Dannon alleging consumers misled by ‘all-natural’ dairy products from cows fed GMOs
A judge has granted Dannon’s motion to dismiss a high-profile false advertising lawsuit alleging shoppers were misled by its ‘all-natural’ ...
Turning night owls into early birds? It may soon be possible
The discovery of a genetic mutation linked to night owl behavior raises the prospect of a drug treatment that would ...
Vitamin-enhanced GMO potatoes could combat malnutrition—if they ever hit the market
Sufferers of malnutrition in the global south could soon find help from an unlikely source: a humble potato, genetically tweaked ...
