Feb 19 A detailed new map of our genome in action By Rebecca Jacobson, Inside Energy Your genome contains thousands of genes, possible instructions that build your cells. So how do cells know which genes to use? A set of markers called the epigenome tells them which genes to turn on and off. But if they… Continue reading
Feb 10 Why the term ‘three-person baby’ makes doctors wince By Rebecca Jacobson, Inside Energy Parliament's House of Commons just approved further testing on "three-person babies", a technique that would use the genetic material from three people to create a healthy baby. It's a misleading term, scientists say, and it doesn't explain why for some… Continue reading
Feb 04 Smartphone accessory delivers HIV results in 15 minutes By Rebecca Jacobson, Inside Energy With a smartphone and a finger prick, this new device can deliver HIV test results in 15 minutes. Continue reading
Jan 28 You could get the measles, even if you’re vaccinated By Jenny Marder Contained inside the data of the latest measles outbreak is a surprising — and troubling — number. Among the 51 measles cases linked directly to Disneyland, six of the people had received their measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, according to… Continue reading
Jan 21 President calls climate change the ‘greatest threat to future generations’ in State of the Union By Rebecca Jacobson, Inside Energy Calling climate change the "greatest threat to future generations" in his State of the Union speech Tuesday, President Obama called out climate change deniers. Continue reading
Jan 14 Politics delayed Al Gore’s favorite satellite for 10 years, but in two weeks, it’ll fly By Rebecca Jacobson, Inside Energy The Triana satellite was the brainchild of Al Gore and promised to revolutionize climate science and inspire generations. But after political controversy and poor timing, the satellite spent more than a decade in storage. Now scientists have dusted it off… Continue reading
Jan 07 How communism turned Cuba into an island of hackers and DIY engineers By Jenny Marder Just outside Havana, in the childhood bedroom of illustrator Edel Rodriguez, a washing machine engine welded to a boat propeller has become a makeshift fan. This kind of cobbled-together contraption is common in Cuba. So are stoves that run on… Continue reading
Dec 31 Why are snowy owls moving so far from their Arctic home? And where can I spot one? By Lorna Baldwin Why are so many snowy owls popping up thousands of miles from their Arctic stomping grounds? Bird experts say the most likely reason is an abundance of rodents (lemmings are their prey of choice) in northern Quebec last year, and… Continue reading
Dec 24 The day that changed tsunami science By Rebecca Jacobson, Inside Energy On the day after Christmas 2004, a horrifying tsunami swept across the Indian Ocean. It claimed an estimated 230,000 lives. With no warning system in the Indian Ocean, scientists were helpless to provide an accurate warning in time. Ten years… Continue reading
Dec 17 GIF: Christmas tree to blazing inferno in less than a minute By Rebecca Jacobson, Inside Energy A dried-out, eight-foot Christmas tree can light, blaze and burn to ash in less than a minute. By setting Christmas trees ablaze in the safety of a lab, scientists and engineers are learning how to keep you safe from the… Continue reading