| Nanotechnology is revolutionizing everything from industry to medicine. We live in the most scientifically advanced age of all time, while simultaneously living in a profoundly scientifically-illiterate era, especially in the United States. | |
| People used to believe the sun was driven around the Earth by some god in a chariot, but considering what genuine scientific knowledge they had at the time, the sun god and his chariot was a relatively reasonable argument. | |
| What scientific knowledge we have now and what the average American understands about that knowledge is a widening gap that has already been the cause of restrictions leading to unnecessary suffering and inhibited progress. | |
| There is a real danger that unless this gap is narrowed, the world will repeat what history has shown to be a trend: the fear of new advances leading to unfounded, unnecessary, and even sometimes violent backlashes. |
| It wasn’t that long ago that people began to understand the double helix concept of DNA and how it pertains to human evolution and genetics. That understanding has now arguably crossed a threshold, thanks in no small part to home DNA kit testing. Millions around the world have swabbed their cheeks and sent in their DNA for information on their ancestry, heredity (and also increasingly, for information on what genetic diseases they might be more predisposed towards.) | |
| A list of 10 major DNA test kit providers shows the tech is cheaper, faster, and more specified than ever. For many folks, such heritage or health DNA tests has triggered curiosity and resulted in them digging deeper into DNA and coming away educated and edified. | |
| But too many still simply don’t understand even the most basic facts, and these are the people who – it’s a fair prediction – will soon begin hollering about scientists ‘playing God’ as emerging technologies mixing nanotechnology and DNA structures begin to accelerate. | |
| It’s time for scientists and lay scientists to consider how to better educate the public on emerging technologies – especially related to DNA –to avoid a predictable backlash from an undereducated populous led by leaders who sometimes seem to get their ideas from science fiction. | |
| The 1997 film Gattaca shows a world where those found with certain genetic markers at birth are barred from jobs and assigned low-ranked positions. It’s an excellent film and even visionary. But the situation envisioned by Gattaca is not the same as utilizing nanotechnology and DNA structures to build a pathway for a targeted cancer drug, for example. Will it be possible to tinker with genetics in profoundly unethical ways? The answer is almost certainly a future yes if it hasn’t already been employed by the unscrupulous. | |
| Is a world such as depicted in Gattaca possible? Yes, is again the answer, but those moral concerns can be addressed by legislation and convention. What we need to avoid is the unfortunate possibility of some ban on DNA research based on some legislators equating DNA nanotechnology with eugenics. |
News
Magnetic nanoparticles that successfully navigate complex blood vessels may be ready for clinical trials
Every year, 12 million people worldwide suffer a stroke; many die or are permanently impaired. Currently, drugs are administered to dissolve the thrombus that blocks the blood vessel. These drugs spread throughout the entire [...]
Reviving Exhausted T Cells Sparks Powerful Cancer Tumor Elimination
Scientists have discovered how tumors secretly drain the energy from T cells—the immune system’s main cancer fighters—and how blocking that process can bring them back to life. The team found that cancer cells use [...]
Very low LDL-cholesterol correlates to fewer heart problems after stroke
Brigham and Women's Hospital's TIMI Study Group reports that in patients with prior ischemic stroke, very low achieved LDL-cholesterol correlated with fewer major adverse cardiovascular events and fewer recurrent strokes, without an apparent increase [...]
“Great Unified Microscope” Reveals Hidden Micro and Nano Worlds Inside Living Cells
University of Tokyo researchers have created a powerful new microscope that captures both forward- and back-scattered light at once, letting scientists see everything from large cell structures to tiny nanoscale particles in a single shot. Researchers [...]
Breakthrough Alzheimer’s Drug Has a Hidden Problem
Researchers in Japan found that although the Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab successfully removes amyloid plaques from the brain, it does not restore the brain’s waste-clearing system within the first few months of treatment. The study suggests that [...]
Concerning New Research Reveals Colon Cancer Is Skyrocketing in Adults Under 50
Colorectal cancer is striking younger adults at alarming rates, driven by lifestyle and genetic factors. Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably in the colon or rectum, forming tumors that can eventually [...]
Scientists Discover a Natural, Non-Addictive Way To Block Pain That Could Replace Opioids
Scientists have discovered that the body can naturally dull pain through its own localized “benzodiazepine-like” peptides. A groundbreaking study led by a University of Leeds scientist has unveiled new insights into how the body manages pain, [...]
GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic Work, but New Research Reveals a Major Catch
Three new Cochrane reviews find evidence that GLP-1 drugs lead to clinically meaningful weight loss, though industry-funded studies raise concerns. Three new reviews from Cochrane have found that GLP-1 medications can lead to significant [...]
How a Palm-Sized Laser Could Change Medicine and Manufacturing
Researchers have developed an innovative and versatile system designed for a new generation of short-pulse lasers. Lasers that produce extremely short bursts of light are known for their remarkable precision, making them indispensable tools [...]
New nanoparticles stimulate the immune system to attack ovarian tumors
Cancer immunotherapy, which uses drugs that stimulate the body’s immune cells to attack tumors, is a promising approach to treating many types of cancer. However, it doesn’t work well for some tumors, including ovarian [...]
New Drug Kills Cancer 20,000x More Effectively With No Detectable Side Effects
By restructuring a common chemotherapy drug, scientists increased its potency by 20,000 times. In a significant step forward for cancer therapy, researchers at Northwestern University have redesigned the molecular structure of a well-known chemotherapy drug, greatly [...]
Lipid nanoparticles discovered that can deliver mRNA directly into heart muscle cells
Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death worldwide. But advances in heart-failure therapeutics have stalled, largely due to the difficulty of delivering treatments at the cellular level. Now, a UC Berkeley-led [...]
The basic mechanisms of visual attention emerged over 500 million years ago, study suggests
The brain does not need its sophisticated cortex to interpret the visual world. A new study published in PLOS Biology demonstrates that a much older structure, the superior colliculus, contains the necessary circuitry to perform the [...]
AI Is Overheating. This New Technology Could Be the Fix
Engineers have developed a passive evaporative cooling membrane that dramatically improves heat removal for electronics and data centers Engineers at the University of California San Diego have created an innovative cooling system designed to greatly enhance [...]
New nanomedicine wipes out leukemia in animal study
In a promising advance for cancer treatment, Northwestern University scientists have re-engineered the molecular structure of a common chemotherapy drug, making it dramatically more soluble and effective and less toxic. In the new study, [...]
Mystery Solved: Scientists Find Cause for Unexplained, Deadly Diseases
A study reveals that a protein called RPA is essential for maintaining chromosome stability by stimulating telomerase. New findings from the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggest that problems with a key protein that helps preserve chromosome stability [...]
