Scientists Make First Genetically Modified Embryo

For the first time, scientists have been able to genetically alter a human embryo. Researchers used an abnormal embryo that could never have developed into a baby to do the project.

The project raises the possibilities that people could be able to create designer babies in the future and scientists could insert certain genes into an embryo to produce babies with certain characteristics, such as higher intelligence and better athletic abilities. Some people think that this is wrong and turns children into designed objects and would create an unequal society where some people would be considered genetically superior while other people who are born without genetic injections would be inferior.

Scientists say that the main point of the project was to find out if a gene injected into an abnormal embryo could be traced in stem cells that are harvested from the embryo. The work could also explain why abnormal embryos don’t develop. Scientists found that abnormal embryos don’t develop well enough to produce stem cells.

Scientists Produce Human Embryo Clones

There are scientists in California that have made embryos that are clones of two different men. The embryos were made using ordinary skin cells. The next big thing they are waiting for is to make a human embryonic stem cell line from cloned human embryos. Scientists think that stem cells from cloned embryos could be used to study diseases, screen drugs, and make transplant materials to treat conditions, such as diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.

The problems with cloning human embryos include, creating human lives in a laboratory purposely to destroy them to benefit and help other people, there are health risks involved in the process, and exploiting the women who are asked to provide eggs.

The cloning process works by injecting DNA from a person into an egg. The egg would grow into an embryo in about five days. Then, stem cells would be extracted from the embryo.

Journal of Stem Cells: http://stemcells.alphamedpress.org

Info on Stem Cells: http://stemcells.nih.gov

Bill Nye the Science Guy Seeking Restraining Order Against Ex

Bill Nye, who hosted the PBS series “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” is seeking a permanent restraining order against his ex-fiancé, Blair Tindall. He claims that she tried to poison his vegetable garden. He says that she went to this home on September 3^rd dressed in black and carrying two plastic bottles filled with a solvent and thinks that the solvent was poured on his garden, from which he eats the food he grows. He wants the restraining order to keep his ex away from his house and to keep her from contacting him.

His ex-fiancé is the author of “Mozart in the Jungle” and a former concert oboist. She admitted to pouring two bottles of weed killer in his garden. She says that she only meant to hurt his garden and not him. She also says that she has started counseling and is not a threat to Nye. A hearing is scheduled for December 20^th for the case.

Scientists Find the Oldest Living Animal and Kills It

A group of British marine biologists from Bangor University in Wales found a special clam while researching the waters of north Iceland. After they cut through the shell and killed it, they counted the growth rings and found that it was 405 to 410 years old. The clam belonged to the Artica Islandica species.

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California College Uses Roaches to Attract Students

The college UC Riverside in California is using a cockroach petting zoo display to try to attract students and parents to an upcoming recruitment fair. The display will have several species of cockroaches and will include the Madagascar hissing cockroach. The fair is mainly for high school students that are interested in careers as science teachers and engineers.

Germs Taken to Space Come Back Stronger and Deadlier

The germ Salmonella was put on a space shuttle and sent into space because scientists wanted to see how space travel has an affect on germs. Researchers found that 167 genes had changed in the salmonella that went into space. They say that the germs change genetically because they sensed that they were in new environment. When they fed mice the germs from space they were three times more likely to get sick and die than the mice that were fed germs that didn’t go into space.