Mad Cow Resistant Cows Scientists say they have produced the first cattle that may be biologically incapable of getting mad cow disease. These bulls in South Dakota were genetically engineered to be free of prions which makes them resistant to mad cow disease.
Insect Repellants to target CO2 Receptors Rockefeller University researchers have identified two proteins expressed by CO2-sensing neurons in drosophila fruit flies and mosquitoes--a discovery they say could help them design better insect repellants to shield us from the disease-laden bugs.
Scientists find junk DNA's function For long, the scientific community believed that 97 per cent of DNA material is junk. However, an Indian study clearly demonstrated that the Y-chromosomal junk DNA interacts and controls the function of a gene located in another chromosome.
Cell Transplants make Blind Mice see again Scientists have restored the vision of blind mice by introducing light-sensitive cells into the rodents' retinas. The study invigorates the search for cell transplants that might someday restore the vision of millions of people.
DNA Unbeatable at playing Tic-Tac-Toe A computer that uses strands of DNA to perform calculations has mastered the game tic-tac-toe. After a human has added an input DNA sequence, the MAYA-II uses a system of DNA logic gates that results in a chemical reaction marking the next move.
Beat malaria, eat Limburger! B. Knols and R. de Jong of Wageningen University in Holland won the IgNobel prize, the humorous alternative to the Nobel prizes. They showed that malaria mosquitoes are attracted equally to the smell of limburger cheese and to the smell of human feet
Scientists Publish First Tree Genome Scientist have published the first complete DNA sequence of a tree, the black cottonwood or Populus trichocarpa. The research was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The research may lead to more cost-effective biofuel production.
Fruit juices may reduce Alzheimers risk In a epidemiological study, researchers from Vanderbilt medical center found that people who drank 3 or more servings of fruit and veg juices per week had a 76 pct lower risk of developing Alzheimers than those who drank juice less than once a week.
Spraying Viruses on Meat making it More Safe Last week the FDA approved a cocktail of six living viruses to be sprayed on cold meat before it is packaged. The viruses are bacteriaphages, which means they only attack bacterial cells and protect the meat against Listeria monocytogenes.
Fastest Evolving Human Gene Boosts Brain The fastest evolving gene in the human genome is linked to brain development. Scientists at the University of California have identified the rapidly evolving region of DNA which is found out to be important in the development of the cerebral cortex.
