Es steckt im Tierfutter, im Brot, in der Milch: Das Pestizid Glyphosat belastet seit Jahrzehnten die Umwelt, weltweit. Forscher warnen vor Missbildungen und Krebs. Wie gefährlich ist der Stoff wirklich? Von Philip Bethge – DER SPIEGEL 24/2015 Das Unheil kam langsam über den Hof von Helge Voss. Zuerst gaben die Kühe weniger Milch, ihr Kot war […]
Tag Archives | genetic engineering
Miracle Crop: India’s Quest to End World Hunger
Over one third of humanity is undernourished. Now a group of scientists are experimenting with specially-bred crops, and hoping to launch a new Green Revolution — but controversy is brewing. By Philip Bethge It may not make his family wealthy, but Devran Mankar is still grateful for the pearl millet variety called Dhanshakti (meaning “prosperity and strength”) he […]
The Second Cooing: Raising Passenger Pigeons from the Dead
The world has been without passenger pigeons since 1914. Now, scientists want to bring them back. Geneticist Ben Novak has embarked on the project and has begun collecting passenger pigeon DNA from natural history museums. His “de-extinction” efforts are not without critics. By Philip Bethge The eye sockets of the slender pigeon are filled with […]
SPIEGEL Blog: Surrogate Mother (Not Yet) Sought for Neanderthal
An interview published last week by SPIEGEL with American genetic scientist George Church has sparked frenetic media speculation about a supposed plan to bring the Neanderthal back from the dead. Church feels his remarks were mistranslated, but it was other media outlets that twisted his words. “Wanted: Surrogate Mother For Neanderthal,” screamed an article in […]
Interview with George Church: Can Neanderthals Be Brought Back from the Dead?
In a SPIEGEL interview, synthetic biology expert George Church of Harvard University explains how DNA will become the building material of the future — one that can help create virus-resistant human beings and possibly bring back lost species like the Neanderthal. –> Update: The Interview has sparked frenetic media speculation about a supposed plan to […]
Michio Kaku: ‘Eternal Life Does Not Violate the Laws of Physics’
In his best-selling book “Physics of the Future,” American professor Michio Kaku lays out his vision for the world in 2100. Kaku, the son of Japanese immigrants, spoke to SPIEGEL about a future in which toilets will have health monitoring sensors and contact lenses will be connected to the Internet. SPIEGEL: Professor Kaku, in your […]
Oozing Biofuel: Algae Could Solve World’s Fuel Crisis
Genetically modified blue and green algae could be the answer to the world’s fuel problems. Bioengineers have already developed algae that produce ethanol, oil and even diesel — and the only things the organisms need are sunlight, CO2 and seawater. Biochemist Dan Robertson’s living gas stations have the dark-green shimmer of oak leaves and are […]
Brooke the Immortal: An American Child May Hold Secrets to Aging
Brooke Greenberg is almost 18, but she has remained mentally and physically at the level of a toddler. An American physician is trying to uncover the child’s secret. He wants to give mankind the gift of eternal life. By Philip Bethge It is possible that the key to immortality is hidden in this delicate girl, […]