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Showing results for tags 'genetics'.
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https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-twins-study-investigators-to-release-integrated-paper-in-2018 Scott Kelly spent one year on ISS. His identical twin, Mark, did not. "The Kelly twins are the only identical twin astronauts in history." This study did a thorough biological comparison of the two. Significantly: There are some fairly prosaic theories for these differences. Still, a very interesting and unique study, with possible far-reaching ramifications.
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Guys, we need to talk about this. Right now. This is one of the most amazing things I've seen in all of 2016 so far - more amazing than rocket landings and all that jazz. It's also one of the most frightening things I've seen in... well, my whole life, probably. Holy crap. A method has been invented that assures that a custom-written genetic trait is passed on to offspring. And I mean assured. The success chance is 100%. It's a "global search-and-replace tool for genetic information" - and the tool passes itself on along with the custom traits it is designed to pass on. This is called a "gene drive". Everytime an organism so modified reproduces, it force-overwrites the genetic information of all offspring to match the gene drive's design specifications. The other partner's genetic information at this juncture is irrelevant. The new offspring, of course, now carries the gene drive too... And it's easy to do. It only needs moderately specialized equipment, and a skilled highschooler to operate it. There's no secret, patented formula - the approach uses existing tools that everyone, worldwide, has access to. Now, there's caveats. It doesn't work for viruses or bacteria, among other things (thank heavens!). And while it's easy to build, the act of first designing the blueprint of the genetic change you want to make is actually a really elaborate and difficult process. And it's potentially possible to build targeted "reverse drives". But still, the mere implications of this! The example given in the video is that you could eliminate Malaria - yes, eliminate - in the span of a single year. At the same time: just one modified organism accidentally escaping from a research lab could potentially end up overwriting an entire species, if it finds a chance to reproduce before it dies. The presenter rightfully asks: "Have we become God?" I don't know. But... Fate help us all.
