Science Literacy Project Daily Digest
Why biotech food labeling is met with resistance
In recent weeks, there’s been a lot of new discussion around the biotech labeling debate. On May 10, the International ...
‘Faithful judgments’ in bioethics
It's a bit of a cliché to point out that the new reproductive and genetic technologies (NRGTs) have a way ...
Melanoma sequencing reveals genetic effects of sun damage
Whole genome sequencing of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has confirmed the long-held belief that greater sun exposure ...
Abraham’s genetic threads- Jewish genes
From looking at these patterns of relatedness the authors infer that despite the genetic variation in the modern Jewry, most ...
Specialty crop group petitions EPA on herbicide-resistant crops
A coalition within the U.S. specialty crop industry has petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health ...
European court decision has big implications for stem cell research
Brüstle v. Greenpeace, decided by the Court of Justice of the European Union, or CJEU, on October 18, 2011, changes ...
Maps of Miscanthus genome offer insight into grass evolution
Miscanthus grasses are used in gardens, burned for heat and energy, and converted into liquid fuels. They also belong to ...
Human or superhuman?
Human genetic engineering has always been the stuff of science-fiction novels and blockbuster Hollywood films. Except that it is no ...
Government scientists won’t stop field-testing of BT eggplant
Government scientists will continue field testing a genetically modified eggplant despite the Supreme Court’s (SC) issuance of a writ of ...
Gene therapy extends mouse lifespan by 24 %
Scientists have successfully extended the lifespan of mice using gene therapy, a strategy never before employed to combat aging. The ...
Big promises backed by bad theory: Synthetic biology
Synthetic biology is the newest purported cure-all technology for remedying our social, environmental, and public health ills. As many prominent ...
India loses faith in GM cotton
Ten years after it was introduced to India, genetically modified cotton is not living up to its promise. It is ...
Methylating your muscle DNA
There’s more to your DNA than your DNA. We are now becoming aware of the epigenome. While DNA controls you, ...
First study of nausea genetics
RESEARCHERS are planning the first genetic study to help determine which patients are at risk of nausea and vomiting after ...
GM crops threaten gluten free sorghum
Sorghum is a staple food crop that feeds millions of people in Africa and Asia. It is a popular breakfast ...
The upside of Frankenfood: Can GM crops reduce global food insecurity?
Last month, when I summarized the views of Calestous Juma, professor of the practice of international development at Harvard, on ...
Researchers showcase ‘easy’ GM tracking technology
A new technology could help to monitor and track genetically modified crops in the food processing chain, say researchers ...
We’re all mutants now
The field of study called population genetics has played a critical role in the development of modern biology, helping unite ...
Is choosing a sperm donor a roll of the genetic dice?
Sharine and Brian Kretchmar of Yukon, Okla., tried a number of medical treatments to conceive a second child. After a ...
Who influences GMO approvals?
An article from the Harvard Business School proposes a theory about what factors influence how genetically modified crops are approved ...
Decision due on GM potato trial
Sir, – It’s not often these days that one finds oneself in agreement with virtually anything said by a government ...
Court battle for GM buffer zone
Steve Marsh, of Kojonup in Western Australia, lost his organic certification for almost 70 per cent of his 478ha farm ...
Cord blood banking takes off in India
Nagpur is emerging as a big destination for companies associated with 'cord blood banking' or CBB. In the last few ...
GM corn and sick honey bees – what’s the link?
No farmer in their right mind wants to poison pollinators. When I spoke with one Iowa corn farmer in January ...
Long-held genetic theory doesn’t quite make the grade, biologists find
New York University biologists have discovered new mechanisms that control how proteins are expressed in different regions of embryos, while ...
Study shows how mitochondrial genes are passed from mother to child
Research conducted at the Oregon National Primate Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University helps answer some long-standing questions ...
Lethal pufferfish genes could transform human dentistry
Human teeth can be engineered to regenerate, thanks to the world’s most poisonous fish. British scientists have been studying the ...
