HadNews.com

Since it was founded nearly two decades ago, 23andMe has grown into one of the largest biotechnology companies in the world. Millions of people have used its simple genetic testing service, which involves ordering a saliva test, spitting into a tube, and sending it back to the company for a detailed DNA analysis. But now the company is on the brink of bankruptcy. This has raised concerns about what will happen to the troves of genetic data it has in its possession. The company’s chief executive, Anne Wojcicki, has said she is committed to customer privacy and will “maintain our current privacy policy”. But what can customers of 23a...... Read Full article on HadNews

With the arrival of spring, a timeless ritual begins anew: male birds fill the air with song, seeking to attract mates and defend their territories from other competing males. But there is a lot we still don’t understand about how birds learn which sounds to sing. Our latest study offers new insights and suggests genes may play a more important role than scientists realised. In nearly half of the world’s bird species, young birds learn by imitating the songs of adults. As birds learn songs from one another, mistakes inevitably happen, leading to variation in songs between populations of the same species, similar to the formation of d...... Read Full article on HadNews

Imagine this: a novel virus is rapidly breaking out nationwide, resulting in an epidemic. The government introduces vaccination mandates and a choice of different vaccines is available. But not everyone is getting the same vaccine. When you sign up for vaccination, you are sent a vial with instructions to send a sample of your saliva to the nearest laboratory. Just a few hours later you receive a message telling you which vaccine you should get. Your neighbour also signed up for vaccination. But their vaccine is different from yours. Both of you are now vaccinated and protected, although each of you received your vaccines depending on “wh...... Read Full article on HadNews

In a world filled with groundbreaking scientific discoveries and technological advancements, one question that arises is why Brazil is releasing GMO mosquitoes into the wild. These engineered mosquitoes, armed with bacterial shields, are being unleashed to combat tropical diseases like Zika and Dengue. The World Mosquito Program aims to produce billions of these disease-fighting insects to protect millions of people from these deadly viruses. While this unconventional approach has shown promise in reducing mosquito populations in field trials, concerns have been raised about the potential risks of releasing genetically modified insects...... Read Full article on HadNews

On the morning of September 25, 2023, 35-year-old Samantha Jo Petersen struck an Amish buggy on a southeastern Minnesota road while driving her SUV back from work. Amid the strewn debris, two children lay dead. When police arrived, Sarah Beth Peterson, Samantha Jo’s identical twin sister, greeted them. She quickly confessed to the tragic accident. Samantha was nowhere to be found. Unbeknownst to the authorities, the sisters had switched positions to spare Samantha, who was high on methamphetamines, from prison. Thanks to a couple of drive-by witnesses, the ruse was eventually uncovered. The sisters, who had extensive criminal histories...... Read Full article on HadNews

I have always been fascinated by genetics, a branch of biology that helps explain everything from the striking resemblance between different members of a family to the fact that strawberry plants are frost-resistant. It’s an impressive field! I also have a personal connection to genetics. Growing up, I learned that members of my family had a form of muscular dystrophy called dysferlinopathy. I watched as my mother gradually lost the ability to climb stairs and had to use a cane, then a walker, and finally a wheelchair to get around. Her leg muscles were less and less able to repair themselves and became weaker with time. My parents ex...... Read Full article on HadNews