Humans Genetically Engineered
Are humans a genetically engineered species? Are we the equivalent of wind-up dolls with computer brains? What possible role could science play in our creation? More from Black Pigeon Speaks.
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Archive for the tag “genetic engineering”
Science Starting to Catch up
So now they’re claiming in the next 20 years, genetically engineered babies made from a single person’s modified stem cells will be bred in artificial wombs & 75-years-old women will be able to start new families once more. You can’t make this stuff up if you try. Truthstream Media takes a look at what happens when science starts to catch up with the sci-fi film Gattaca.
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Breakthrough Healing Device
Researchers have developed a device that can switch cell function to rescue failing body functions with a single touch. The technology, known as Tissue Nanotransfection (TNT), injects genetic code into skin cells, turning those skin cells into other types of cells required for treating diseased conditions. “It takes just a fraction of a second. You simply touch the chip to the wounded area, then remove it,” said Chandan Sen, PhD, director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine and Cell-Based Therapies at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center.
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Know Your Monster: 16
KING GHIDORAH
Of all the monsters that Godzilla fights, none is more powerful and fearsome than the golden, three-headed dragon King Ghidorah. While it’s difficult to imagine Godzilla quaking in his boots, notice that he never does battle alone against this archenemy. Godzilla always faces this creature with one or more allied monsters to provide some extra muscle and support.
Eiji Tsuburaya, the special effects genius who created Godzilla, also envisioned King Ghidorah. A stunt actor plays the creature but it takes an entire team of puppeteers to control its three heads, two tails and bat-
like wings. Next time you watch a movie featuring King Ghidorah, take note of its well-orchestrated moves, and imagine how difficult they are to coordinate. The attention to detail on the part of the puppeteers is remarkable, each Ghidorah head even has its own distinct, piercing shriek. King Ghidorah is so complicated it’s one of the few monsters in the Godzilla franchise that not only has been realized through suitmation but also CGI.
Originally, King Ghidorah was presented as a conquering beast from Outer Space, sent to devastate Earth by the Xilians, a civilization inhabiting an unknown planet close to Jupiter. In later movies, it was alternatively suggested that he was created by time travelers — a mutant freak of nature generated through radiation and genetic engineering. The back-stories don’t matter so much as King Ghidorah’s swooping power and nightmarish appearance.
He has a large and dedicated fan base, so he has appeared many times since his debut in the 1964 film Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster. Besides joining a pack of Kaiju in the all-out Destroy All Monsters, he was the star attraction in Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah, and made a memorable cameo appearance in Godzilla Vs. Gigan.
Here, WatchMojo explains the origins of King Ghidorah.
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Tomorrow’s featured monster: Kumonga
Scientists Hijack Worm’s Brain
Researchers at Harvard University have taken over control of a roundworm’s brain. After genetically engineering the worm to make its neurons sensitive to light, the scientists found they could use lasers to stimulate the worm’s brain and control its movements. Ben Gruber reports for Reuters.
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