Conversation
‘Precision farming’ could slow climate change and unlock $250 billion in profits for farmers
There is a long list of global problems to combat, including hunger, drought, poverty, bad health, polluted water and poor ...
Viewpoint: If organic farmers want to promote sustainable farming they should reconsider hostility toward CRISPR-gene editing
A University of California, Berkeley professor stands at the front of the room, delivering her invited talk about the potential ...
Indoor farms could boost food production, but energy-friendly alternatives exist
By 2050, global food production will need to increase by an estimated 70% in developed countries and 100% in developing countries ...
Resignation of French environmental minister could be a win for glyphosate supporters
The surprise announcement of the resignation of Nicolas Hulot .... is part of .... a series of .... big differences ...
Organic, grass-fed beef: Nutritious food choice or marketing hype?
.... Organic farming and grass feeding are promoted as having some social and environmental benefits compared with conventionally produced red ...
Fighting nature’s ‘computer hackers’ through genetic engineering
[T]hrough thousands of years of genetic modification by selective breeding, humans have developed the crops that keep us alive. We ...
What 3D printing can teach us about how to regulate CRISPR gene editing
Australia’s gene technology regulations have not been revised since 2001- despite many game-changing advances in genetic technologies over the past 17 ...
We’re a long way from Blade Runner-like organic androids
[Editor's note: Fumiya Iida is a lecturer in mechatronics at the University of Cambridge.] The new Blade Runner sequel will return ...
Hive coup? Why queen bees are sometimes killed by workers
[Editor's note: James Gilbert is a lecturer in zoology at the University of Hull.] A new study has shown that some bee workers ...
Lead author of controversial bee study: ‘Don’t give up on neonics’ although they may have ‘subtle’, mitigable effects
[Editor's note: Ben Woodcock is an ecological entomologist at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in the UK. He is the ...
Can Netflix help us treat cancer?
[Editor's note: Elana Fertig is a professor of Oncology Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at Johns Hopkins University.] To create individualized cancer treatments, we must ...
Searching for Jesus’ DNA: Scientists probe ancient relics
In 2010, Kasimir Popkonstantinov discovered what he believes are the bones of one of the most famous of all saints: ...
How humans got smart: Rush of blood to the head
[Editor's note: Roger Seymour is professor emeritus of physiology at the University of Adelaide.] The blood flow to the cognitive part ...
Leukemia and corn: Treatment may arise from studying mutations in kernels
[Editor's note: Kevin Folta is a molecular biologist and chair of the horticultural sciences department at the University of Florida.] Recent research ...
Trust the experts: Scientific scrutiny, government oversight show GMOs ‘at least as safe’ as traditional foods
[Editor's note: David Tribe is a senior lecturer in food biotechnology and microbiology, agriculture and food systems, at the University ...
Why do so many people with hereditary cancer risks avoid genetic testing?
Once a person is found to have a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, usually after a diagnosis of colorectal cancer, all ...
Is it possible to know too much about your genes?
Would you want to know if you were at a higher risk of getting dementia later in life? Would you ...
On/off switch? Chronic pain could be eased if we identify the right genes
[Editor's note: Blair Smith is a professor of population science at the University of Dundee in Scotland.] Two of the ...
Can GMOs mitigate threats to global food security?
[Editor's note: Stuart Thompson is a senior lecturer in plant biochemistry at the University of Westminster in the UK.] Crops ...
Can personalized medicine help those with chronic diseases that have environmental triggers?
[Editor's note: Sharon Horesh Bergquist is a physician, teacher, researcher in preventive medicine and healthy aging at Emory University] Personalized ...
What factors shape women’s perceptions of GMOs?
[Editor's note: Heather Bray is a senior research associate and Rachel Ankeny is a professor of history, both at the ...
Armyworms ravaging African staple crops: GM insect resistant crops offer a solution
[Editor's note: The following is an interview with Kenneth Wilson, professor at the Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University.] A combination of ...
Hype versus hope: Deciphering news about stem cell breakthroughs
For many people suffering from disabling conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, spinal injury and paralysis, heart disease, and even cancer, ...
How hacking photosynthesis in tobacco can help scientists improve African staple crop cassava
Editor's note: This story describes a publication in the journal New Phytologist. The authors of this story are three of ...
How GMO crops can help feed world’s growing population in time of climate change
Editor's Note: This article was written by Stuart Thompson, a senior lecturer in Plant Biochemistry at the University of Westminster ...
Hidden code regulates harmful mutations of our genome, aiding evolution
On the one hand, mutations are needed for biological innovation, and on the other hand they cause diseases. How does ...
Water Wars? High tech farming, genetic engineering could derail what seems inevitable
More than a billion people around the world have no reasonable access to fresh water. ...just 0.5% of the Earth’s ...
Understanding how genetics influences behavior could motivate people to change
Genetic influence on human characteristics is often misinterpreted. It is wrongly assumed that a behavior that has strong genetic influence...must ...
