The human family tree explored. ‘It sounds as though it came out of the pages of a science fiction book or from the mind of Steven Spielberg. But as is often the case, reality is where all the action is and this time it’s happening in Leipzig, Germany. There, scientists from the Max Planck Institute […]
July 3, 2007 Leave a Comment
DNA Transplant
Creation of artificial life brought a step closer by DNA transplant. ‘Craig Venter, the controversial biologist who led the private effort to map the human genome, has moved closer to his goal of creating the first artificial life form by replacing the entire genetic code of one microbe with that of another. The groundbreaking experiment […]
May 4, 2007 2 Comments
Twin Studies Reveal Important Genetic Factor for Heart Attack
DNA find may identify early heart risk victims. ‘Scientists have discovered a strand of DNA that dramatically raises the risk of coronary heart disease and doubles the chances of younger people suffering a heart attack prematurely. The high-risk stretch of genes is common among Caucasian populations, with up to a quarter carrying copies that boost […]
December 15, 2006 Leave a Comment
Deciphering the DNA Code
A Cryptologist Takes a Crack at Deciphering DNA’s Deep Secrets. ‘Thirty years ago, Nick Patterson worked in the secret halls of the Government Communications Headquarters, the code-breaking British agency that unscrambles intercepted messages and encrypts clandestine communications. He applied his brain to “the hardest problems the British had,” said Dr. Patterson, a mathematician. Today, at […]
April 4, 2006 Leave a Comment
Computer Simulation of a Virus
Small Yet Significant: First-ever Simulation of Entire Life Form. ‘When Boeing and Airbus developed their latest aircraft, the companie’s engineers designed and tested them on a computer long before the planes were built. Biologists are catching on. They’ve just completed the first computer simulation of an entire life form: a virus. Deeper understanding of the […]