Biologists Call For A Halt To ‘Mirror Li...

Our bodily systems are rife with mutations. In fact, your DNA is mutating right now. These errors, and attempts to repair them, are a key to understanding immune function, aging, and even how heart disease develops. Gene mutations can even mitigate the harm caused by some inherit ... Show More

Data centers make controversial neighbors: They’re loud, they use a lot of water, and can drive electricity prices up. Following public concern and organizing efforts, Maine nearly implemented an 18-month ban on data center construction, before a governor veto. Joining Flora to t ... Show More

The way ancient societies like the Greeks, Maya, and Khmer Empire built their cities can tell us a lot about how a place was governed. Did rulers live in ornate palaces or alongside other residents? Are there large, open spaces for community gatherings? In a new study, archaeolog ... Show More

Parmi les nouvelles menaces qui planent sur l’avenir de l’humanité, un concept jusque-là réservé aux laboratoires commence à inquiéter : la vie miroir. Ce terme désigne une forme de vie artificielle, créée à partir de molécules dites miroirs. Pour comprendre, il faut revenir à la ... Show More

Recently, a group of world-leading scientists called for a halt on research to create ‘mirror life’ microbes amid concerns that the synthetic organisms would present an ‘unprecedented risk’ to life on Earth. Ian Sample tells Madeleine Finlay about why this work initially seemed e ... Show More

We're taking you through the looking glass to explore 'mirror life': could we be about to flip biology on its head? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists 

<p>In this episode, Dr Matt and Dr Mike discuss how humans realised that bacteria could fight off viruses using sequences in their DNA called, CRISPR. Today, CRISPR technology is being used to cure cancer and investigate the cause of genetic disease.&nbsp;</p><br><p>For a video o ... Show More

There are more human cells in your body than there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy! Cells are the fundamental building blocks of life but that doesn’t mean they are simple – biology still doesn’t have a full picture of how exactly a living cell works. Host Regina G. Barber talk ... Show More

00:45 A potential treatment for pre-eclampsiaResearchers have shown in mice experiments that an mRNA-based therapy can reverse the underlying causes of pre-eclampsia, a deadly complication of pregnancy for which treatment options are limited. Inspired by the success of mRNA vacci ... Show More

In this episode:00:46 Optical clocks at seaOptical atomic clocks are the most precise timekeeping devices on the planet, but these devices are huge and difficult to work with, limiting their use outside of the lab. Now, researchers have developed a portable optical clock and demo ... Show More

Science doesn’t always get it right the first time—and that’s part of the journey. In this anniversary episode, we explore how ideas about nerve damage, sustainable materials and alien life have done a full 180. Recommended Reading Celebrating 180 Years of Scientific American 180 ... Show More

Genetic libraries are treasure troves of information about life from around the world. They’re helping researchers develop everything from vaccines to crops to cosmetics. But who actually benefits from the discoveries scientists make using all this DNA and RNA? Guests: Benji Jone ... Show More