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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Calculating odds of destroying humanity with genetic engineering
How likely is it that humanity will destroy itself? Various scientists have studied this probability, and the basic calculation is ...
Second Green Revolution: Stress-tolerant rice varieties increase crop yields, food security
According to [International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)], the global rice demand is estimated to increase from 439 million tons in ...
How much can you make on a successful cancer drug? Billions
[Editor's note: Dr. Jamie Wells, MD, FAAP, is a Board-Certified physician and the Director of Medicine at the American Council on Science and ...
Genetic testing companies grapple with how to deal with white supremacists
White supremacists are using cheap, rapid DNA-testing services such as 23andMe to post “evidence” of their white European ancestry on ...
Genetic mutation causes insulin production without eating carbs
Researchers have discovered how a genetic mutation may lead to excess production of insulin, a condition known as congenital hyperinsulinism, ...
Could violent genes be an excuse for committing crimes?
The use of genetic data to establish a physiological basis for violent or impulsive criminal behaviors is occurring more frequently ...
Filipino scientists push back against anti-GMO activists’ criticism of vitamin-A enhanced Golden Rice
Lawmakers should be open-minded about the biotechnological developments being conducted in the country so as not to impede progress of ...
Orthorexia nervosa: Do anti-GMO activists have this ‘eating disorder’?
Orthorexia nervosa is being evaluated as a possible psychiatric diagnosis -- which is causing symptoms of anxiety among some people ...
European Food Safety Authority report on glyphosate herbicide copied parts of Monsanto document
Glyphosate is the core ingredient in Monsanto’s $4.75bn a year RoundUp weedkiller brand and a battle over its relicensing has ...
Lack of controls at US ports and fumigation of imports feed doubts about ‘organic’ label, USDA finds
Bogus “organic” products may be reaching the United States because of lax enforcement at U.S. ports, according to a new ...
Controversial DNA test company Proove Biosciences forced to restructure
Proove Biosciences, a formerly high-flying genetic testing firm whose science and business practices have been challenged by experts and former employees, has ...
FDA approves first product claiming to reduce infant peanut allergies
A new powdered peanut product is the first food item allowed to claim it may reduce peanut allergies in infants, ...
Transhumanism and inequality: Enhancing human life could bring dystopian consequences
Transhumanism may offer a pathway to an 'engineered paradise,' but there are many perils and pitfalls ahead -- particularly for ...
Psychologists downplay role of genetics in mental health
While there has been some success in uncovering genes which make people more susceptible to various disorders, specialists say that ...
Embryos aren’t female by ‘default’ after all, study shows
Every developing embryo, irrespective of its sex, at one point contains both male and female reproductive tracts, referred to as ...
Modified herpes virus boosts immunotherapy treatment for melanoma
In a two-year UCLA-led study, nearly two-thirds of people with advanced melanoma responded positively to a treatment that combines the ...
Dietitians challenge fears of ‘excessive chemicals’ in conventional foods
[Editor’s note: Mindy Hermann, MBA, RDN, is president of Hermann Communications in Somers, New York; Michael P. Holsapple, PhD, is ...
Why New Guinea islanders are among the most genetically diverse people in the world
If you travel the meandering Sepik River of New Guinea, it quickly becomes apparent that from one bend to the ...
Extreme Male Brain Theory? Girls with autism have characteristically more masculine faces
A new study suggests that boys and girls with autism have facial features that are characteristically more male than female. [...] ...
CRISPR opens window into early stages of human embryo development
Work in the UK involving CRISPR and human embryos illustrates the value of the gene editing technique in basic research ...
Multiple sclerosis added to list of diseases exacerbated by gut microbes
The trillions of bacteria that live in our intestines, known collectively as the gut microbiome, have been linked to maladies ...
Simulated ‘cellular suicide’ could help control chronic inflammation
Inflammation, in particular, is vital to fighting infection or healing wounds. If it lingers, however, it can cause more harm ...
Getting to the bottom of reports of declining male fertility
Studies suggest that western men are experiencing declining sperm counts. But more extensive research is needed to determine if it's ...
Is ‘light drinking’ while pregnant really that bad?
Drinking in pregnancy is a fraught issue and causes much anxiety. Last year new guidance to the NHS in England ...
Homeless ‘tent cities’ ripe for infectious disease outbreaks
[The] luxury of modern life is due to the strong defense provided by the "pillars" of our public health system. According ...
Left and right share anti-science instincts, rooted in fears of ideological misuse
Anti-science views have been increasingly embraced by political factions, left and right. Both harbor deep suspicions of government, industry and ...
‘Designer babies’ just around the corner? More scare than science
As CRISPR technology advances, old fears about 'designer babies' resurface. But we are a long way from being able to ...
