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Malaria
to be Wiped Out by Genetic Modification of Mosquitoes
If
plans go ahead, malaria may be wiped out within 2 to 25 years,
by releasing genetically modified mosquitoes into the wild to,
in effect, genetically modify an entire species. Two methods
may be used:
- Attachment
of the modified gene to a bacterium called wolbachia, which
infects mosquitoes and results in more offspring with the
modified gene than without it.
- Attachment
of the modified gene to a transposable element of DNA, likewise
resulting in more offspring with the modified gene than without
it.
Source:
- Hindustan
Times [link inactive]
Infectious
diseases currently kill about 17 million people every year -
number one
factor on each continent:
- Europe
- Tuberculosis
- North
America - AIDS
- Central
America - Malaria
- South
America - Malaria
- Africa
- Malaria
- Middle
East - Malaria
- Southeast
Asia - Malaria
- North
Asia and Japan - Tuberculosis
- South
Pacific - Malaria
Source:
Major
Pain Killer, per British Clinical Trial? Cannabis
Most
of 23 patients suffering from chronic pain experienced pain
relief in a test of Cannabis as medicine. The Cannabis was taken
via a spray under the tongue. Some patients reported the Cannabis,
while not reducing the pain, did allow them to sleep at night.
2 reported no effect and 2 others had side effects which caused
them to exit the test..
This
particular study is testing the effect of Cannabis on those
with multiple sclerosis and spinal injuries. Cannabis may also
be effective in pain relief for cancer, nerve damage, and rheumatoid
arthritis.
Source:
The
Humanoids Are Coming
Illusion
of human life, emotions, social skills, artificial intelligence,
it's all being worked on for the robots of the future, human-like
creations that resemble their creators.
By
2050, such tasks as taking care of the elderly, reading / watching
/ comprehending the world around them, and even engaging in
sporting events may be part of everyday humanoid activities.
Source:
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Significant
Advance Towards Artificial Liver & Pancreas
Individuals
with liver and pancreatic disorders may some day be treated
and even cured, thanks to a new method of storing living cells
in a device capable of being attached to the body to do the
job of damaged tissue.
Bio-artificial
organs could help millions of persons suffering from liver disorders.
A similar device implanted into the body could help people with
pancreatic conditions, such as diabetes and perhaps replace
daily insulin injections.
Dr
Helen Grant has developed a method of freezing liver cells at
-70C in single layers attached to a membrane, providing a ready
source of tissue for artificial organs. This is a significant
advance in the ability to use bio-artificial organs in place
of damaged tissue.
Source:
Faith
Fear
Many
of the
faithful actually fear what the bible says, because they believe
magic super beings are real.
Many
disbelievers fear the impact of those beliefs, by real humans
in the real world, based on personal experiences and the evidence
of history, while at the same time, of course, having no fear
of the bible as being "The Truth" (except, for many,
as a residual leftover from childhood brainwashing most were
subjected to).
"Believe
or else" propaganda from the bible / churches and their
followers, pounded into the developing minds of the young, permeates
American culture, on many social / cultural levels apart from
belief / disbelief in the magic super beings.
Examples
of some of that impact, present throughout secular aspects of
our society / culture:
- Blind
following of and submission to authoritarianism
- Brainless
group conformity
- Pervasive
pretentiousness
- Anti-sex
/ anti-fun / pro-guilt / pro-authoritarianism attitudes, many
of a hypocritical "do as I say - not as I do" nature,
for public consumption (see 1, 2, 3, above)
- Discouragement
of freethought
- Promotion
of personally attacking or ostracizing people who have views
that are opposed to the status quo of society as a whole,
or of a segment of society in which de facto attitudes / behavior
are expected or demanded (see 1 to 5, above)
Source:
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