This is a repository for all cool scientific discussion and fascination. Scientific facts, theories, and overall cool scientific stuff that you'd like to share with others. Stuff that makes you smile and wonder at the amazing shit going on around us, that most people don't notice.
Post pictures, vidoes, stories, or links. Ask questions. Share science.
Originally Posted by Fish:
OK. That's a start. Now tell us why those barriers to gene therapy might still be present in 200 or so years. Why do you think those things are not able to be overcome?
What's the one limitation to any potential SC transplant? The brain. We may make progress in every vital organ (heart included), but the neural structure of the brain is far too complex.
Let's say, hypothetically, that we made enough progress to harvest and transplant every organ using ECM and mesenchymal stem cells. Cool, right? We could help a lot of people. But what we'll end up seeing is a higher incidence of dementia/Alzheimer's and other neurological disorders. We have already seen that in the past 20-30 years simply because people are living longer.
Add in the fact that SC therapies are in the early stages, and most pt's who receive them are put on lifelong immunosupression. Essentially, you're trading one disorder for another at this point. [Reply]
And I'm not saying those barriers will exist in 200 years. We will overcome and account for most of those (hopefully), but the end result may not be what you're expecting. We'll have a powerful tool in the treatment of certain disorders, which will be the priority over addressing longevity. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Fish:
One day this jellyfish could allow your descendants to live thousands of years or more... This jellyfish is immortal. Seriously. It does this through the cell development process of transdifferentiation. Cell transdifferentiation is when the jellyfish "alters the differentiated state of the cell and transforms it into a new cell". Essentially, this jellyfish has overcome cellular breakdown to indefinitely give itself new cells.
I really enjoyed my polyp years (college). [Reply]
The gold nugget bacteria is really funny and well timed for me because just yesterday, as I was cleaning out the litter box, I was thinking how great it would be if they were crapping out gold and I was sifting out thousands of dollars of precious metal instead of the occassional fur laced turd.
I even started to wonder how I would cash it in. Would people question how I got it? Where would I take it to sell? Can I send it to a refinery and have it formed into bricks with the logo of a reputable company?
Sadly though, it turns out those were problems I did not have to worry about. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Cephalic Trauma:
Did I read this wrong? Two people with blue eyes CAN have a kid with brown eyes.
Yes, blue eyed parents can have a brown eyed offspring. Rather unlikely, but possible. It's technically possible for two white people to have a black child.
Little Billy didn't beat those odds though... [Reply]
Originally Posted by Fish:
Yes, blue eyed parents can have a brown eyed offspring. Rather unlikely, but possible. It's technically possible for two white people to have a black child.
Little Billy didn't beat those odds though...
lolwut?
Not true at all. Eye color is polygenic, so it's not all that uncommon. I don't think the inheritance pattern follows a simple Mendelian pattern, but it cannot be likened to two white people having a black child. Sorry man, but this is intro genetics stuff.
EDIT: It is not Mendelian. 15 genes have been implicated in the inheritance of eye color. [Reply]