Summary: Scientists use a formalism called the Scientific Method to gain new insights into how the world works. The Scientific Method consists of asking a question, formulating a hypothesis, testing it, and re-evaluating it based on the outcome of the test. Scientific hypotheses can never be proven, but can always be disproved. If a hypothesis has been extensively tested, it […]
The side effects of CRISPR / Cas9 and the current strategies to mitigate them Summary: The CRISPR/Cas9 system often not only cuts at the intended site of the genome, but also in other unwanted places, which are called off-targets; Off-target events are mainly due to sequence homology between sgRNA and genomic DNA other than the target one, as well as […]
Summary: There are numerous speech stratagems which can be used to gain advantage in an argument or pull the audience to one’s side. Argument from authority is one of the most common logical fallacies. The argument is often a part of authority bias, which itself is considered to be a cognitive bias. Argument from authority (a. k. a. appeal to […]
Summary: RTS, S (Mosquirix) is the first vaccine against malaria with WHO recommendation for widespread use. RTS, S vaccine provides 36% protective efficacy against malaria after 4 doses. Malaria is far from being eradicated and still more effort is needed to relieve the world from its burden. In recent weeks, the world was struck with very exciting news related to […]
Summary: Presence of intelligent life on other planets appears likely. Several planets that might support intelligent life could be within observational range of Earth. Current alien observation of Earth is unconfirmed. UFO sightings, although numerous, are currently unexplained, and do not necessarily indicate non-human origin. A framework is needed for sharing data with the public. Monoliths found in California, Utah, […]
Summary: High numbers of infection with the Delta virus variant have been reported in Israel despite the vaccination rate of over 50%. The number of hospitalized people was smaller than in the previous wave. The vaccines are highly effective against infections and hospitalizations but the effectiveness against infection wanes over time. Since the approval of the vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, multiple […]
Summary: Although they share some similarities, the biodynamic and the organic approaches in agriculture show substantial differences, one of the main being the different protocols for the certification of the respective products. Biodynamic agriculture is not based on any scientific research or method. On top of the restrictions used in organic agriculture, the biodynamic method applies esoteric techniques based on […]
Summary: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are transmitted via electromagnetic waves around 2.4GHz, defined as microwave radiation. The potential danger of electromagnetic radiation depends on both its frequency and its strength. Studies indicate that very strong microwave radiation can cause damage to cells and may cause cancer at a low rate in animals. However, the results of these studies can not be […]
Summary: Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative illness which progressively decreases cognitive abilities and, in the latest stages, results in the patient’s death. While there are drugs easing symptoms, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Aducanumab does not cure Alzheimer’s disease but can help reduce cognitive decline in some patients. Besides the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, there are still many […]
DNA repair mechanisms as the key to engineering human genes by CRISPR/Cas9 Summary: In 2020, CRISPR/Cas9 technology achieved several breakthroughs that are revolutionizing the fields of food and medicine. CRISPR/Cas9 makes a break in DNA, triggering several cell repair mechanisms that researchers exploit to manipulate the genome of the organisms. The DNA repair system referred to as non-homologous end joining […]