One question biologists have been tackling is known as “nature vs nurture,” or figuring out how much of one’s behavior is inherited and how much is learned or influenced by the surrounding environment.
Sixty years ago, scientist Francis Crick avoided breaking embargo on his own scientific publication about the structure of the DNA helix by writing the paper by first sending off a letter detailing his findings to his then 12-year-old son.
In the decade since the completion of the Human Genome Project, researchers around the world have been able to determine the full DNA sequences of animals, plants and bacteria. For example, Australian researchers are studying the Tasmanian devil’s genome in an effort to combat the cancer that is threatening to eradicate this already endangered species.
AFTER HIGH school, e-mails and phone calls allowed me to keep in touch with classmates even though we had gone on to different colleges around the world. These days I can find out what my friends and family are up to through more technologies available on computers and other devices such as online video calls, instant messaging clients and a variety of online social networks.
PAPER CUTS on fingers can draw blood, but the skin cells soon regenerate and seal the injury. The hair cells in the inner ear that detect sound, however, do not regenerate when they are damaged, causing hearing loss.
