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Earth-sized and in its habitable zone

A recent story that's stillplanet scape - space art making waves is the detection of Kepler 186f, a planet the size of Earth and in the so called "habitable zone" of its host star. It would seem K186f is then very much like Earth but that's not exactly…

Genetically modified yeast and Science Fiction

About two months ago we published a short report on a new study that pioneered creating an entire chromosome of yeast; an organism with similar cellular organization as humans. Just a week ago, a discussion flared up on Reddit about the consequences for…

Gene Editing Technique Allows for HIV Resistance?

While previous gene therapies often made unpredictable changes in the cell’s genetic structure, these researchers showed an efficient method of disrupting a specific gene without making any other changes in DNA, removing unacceptable side-effects.

3D Printing – Why all the hype?

3D printer making a small building. Image credit: Tiia Monto, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3D_printer2.jpg In recent years, 3D printing has drawn a lot of attention to itself with breakthroughs in various industrial applications.  Given the…

Risks of cannabis use in light of legalization surge

Should cannabis be legalized in the United States, and if so, under what conditions? Current research on medical consequences of cannabis use suggest that heavy use of cannabis can have longlasting effects on lung, cardiovascular and mental health, but…

The (Not so) Secret Life of our Inner Neanderthal

We’re still grappling with the astonishing 2010 discovery that Neanderthals had mated with modern humans [1]. Now two new studies published earlier this year [2, 3] have identified the Neanderthal contributions to our present-day genomes, and also…

Blocking the Brakes: Helping Your Immune System Battle Cancer

There’s been a lot of buzz recently about cancer immunotherapy, including its selection as Science Magazine’s 2013 Breakthrough of the Year. Immunotherapy has introduced a new class of drugs that harness your immune system’s ability to fight off cancer…