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Researchers closer to creating synthetic life
Researchers at the Venter Institute have completed phase two of a three-part plan to create synthetic life. The research team succeeded in creating a man-made copy of the genome for a bacterium, the first time that's been done. A genome is the complete set of DNA in the chromosomes of a living organism, the instruction set for how an organism works. Researchers at the Venter Institute have completed phase two of a three-part plan to create synthetic life. The research team succeede... more
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Ever feel like your genes are a bit misguided? A gene map is on it's way!
Genes are gonna finally get some directions. One thousand people have agreed to have their genes analysed in a bid to help understand how genes influence disease.
Although a few scientists have offered themselves up for the so-called 'gene mapping,' this will be the first time such a large quantity of people have undergone the research. Previous 'maps' have come from Craig Venter and the controversially 'part-African' DNA pioneer, Dr. Watson.
Praise for the research has already been received from the UK and China with them saying that "the project will create the most useful catalogue ever of genetic variation."
I'd have my genes mapped, as long as they came with a free 'travel-blanket' and 'magnifying glass.' Genes are gonna finally get some directions. One thousand people have agreed to have their genes analysed in a bid to help understand ... more -
Scientist: Blacks are genetically stoo-pid-er
Sometimes irony is but another word for karma. At least James Watson might tell you that. You see Watson, who along with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins, won the Nobel Prize in 1962 for discovering the structure of DNA, suggested earlier this year that black people were genetically less intelligent than whites.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Watson said he was inherently gloomy about the prospects for Africa because all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours - whereas all the testing says not really.
Turns out, Watson is blacker than the average white European person, owing to a discovery in the examination of his genome - the map of all his genes. A startling 16% of his genes are likely to have come from a black ancestor of African descent. By contrast most people of European descent would have no more than 1%.
Kari Stefansson of deCODE Genetics, the company which undertook the analysis, said: This level is what you would expect in someone who had a great-grandparent who was African.
Slate.com quotes Watson as saying: He hopes everyone is equal, but people who have to deal with black employees find this not true.
Its easy to criticise Watson for his remarks but in reality his opinions are shared by many, though most will not openly admit to it.
Ive had a lecturer who made a point of telling his international students (all non-white), the only jobs they could have were in the servicing industry. Hed laugh it off and say hes not trying to be mean but then the following week, hed say it again.
His comments wont have bothered me as much if they werent true in many cases.
If you asked any of my schoolmates (all non-white) where they worked, the answers would follow along these lines:
I work at Tesco.
Im a cashier at Sainsburys.
Im a customer service rep at McDonalds.
On occasion though, Ive heard something new, like: I work in a pub at nights or Im a cleaner at a primary school.
If Dr. Watson is correct, then perhaps thats all were smart enough to do.
That same lecturer revelled in the fact that Math wasnt a strong suit for some students. Oh, this is easy I did that in primary school, hed tease. After hearing him berate our intelligence, many of us found it easier just to stay mum even when we knew the solution. What was the point in answering? To prove he was an asshole? He'd established that the first time he ridiculed our attempts to find jobs.
Theres a quote I read recently by former American President Lyndon B. Johnson and it says: Until justice is blind to colour, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the colour of men's skins, emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact.
Its been 200 years but sometimes I feel Im living in the pages of my history books. Sometimes irony is but another word for karma. At least James Watson might tell you that. You see Watson, who along with Francis Crick... more -
The Sweet Irony of Dr. Watson's Race Remarks
Dr. James Watson, the DNA pioneer, claimed black Africans are genetically less intelligent than white Europeans. But that was before he released his own genome on the internet and somebody decoded it, revealing that he has more African genes than the average European.
"An analysis of Dr Watson's genome shows 16 of his genes are likely to have come from a black ancestor of African descent. By contrast, most people of European descent would have no more than one such gene."
Dr. Watson, please open your mouth. Insert foot.
Isn't irony delicious? Dr. James Watson, the DNA pioneer, claimed black Africans are genetically less intelligent than white Europeans. But that was before h... more -
Fruit Fly Genome Generating Buzz
It is allowing scientists to understand better why we share most of our genes with chimpanzees but are so different, and offers new data on two aspects of evolution - the principles of positive and negative selection. It is allowing scientists to understand better why we share most of our genes with chimpanzees but are so different, and offers new da... more
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Genomes
