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Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 203 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:
It’s well known that drug use is a complex behavior influenced by a variety genetic and environmental factors. As time goes on, though, scientists are beginning to pin down the gene variants that influence someone’s propensity to drink alcohol or smoke tobacco. Exactly how these genetic factors influence these habits remains a mystery. Nevertheless, researchers hope that deeper understanding of the genetics behind addiction could help identify people who should avoid certain substances, or perhaps develop therapies that reduce the risk of becoming addicted to harmful drugs.
A study of several hundred thousand people across 57 countries indicates that biological sex influences our ability to empathize with others. Psychologists administered a test designed to gauge cognitive empathy, the ability to perceive how someone else feels, and consistently found that women, regardless of their cultural background, were better at empathizing with those around them. It’s not clear why this dimorphism exists, though some have speculated that this trait conferred an evolutionary advantage that aided survival long ago.
Janssen Pharmaceuticals’ once-promising HIV vaccine has failed in late-stage clinical trials, deflating hopes that we could soon immunize at-risk populations against an infection that still kills an estimated 650,000 people ever year. Although researchers have developed drugs that suppress the virus in infected individuals and prevent infection if taken routinely, a safe, effective vaccine that permanently prevents infection remains elusive.
Listen to the podcast here: https://tinyurl.com/33kj5wvh
Kevin M. Folta is a professor, keynote speaker and podcast host. Follow Professor Folta on Twitter @kevinfolta
Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health. Visit his website and follow ACSH on Twitter @ACSHorg
