"Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is an extremely rare disease of the connective tissue. A mutation of the body's repair mechanism causes fibrous tissue (including muscle, tendon, and ligament) to be ossified when damaged. In many cases, injuries can cause joints to become permanently frozen in place. Surgical removal of the extra bone growths has been shown to cause the body to "repair" the affected area with more bone."
^ Detailed in an article from The Atlantic, February 1998. Part
1. Part
2.
[more inside]
posted by vapidave
on Apr 7, 2010 -
18 comments
It is apparent to me that Faith does have a brain, despite what the doctors have said. Even though it is generally believed that anencephalic babies are blind, deaf, and cannot feel touch or think... I don't believe that. Not at all. So little is known about the human brain and the only one who really knows what's going on is God. I truly believe that Faith can think and can feel my touch and hear my voice. I can't prove it but I feel like I just know. [
images may be disturbing]
posted by Joe Beese
on Apr 21, 2009 -
253 comments
"Their idea is, in broad outline, straightforward. Dr.
Crespi and Dr.
Badcock propose that an evolutionary tug of war between genes from the father’s sperm and the mother’s egg can, in effect, tip brain development in one of two ways. A strong bias toward the father pushes a developing brain along the
autistic spectrum, toward a fascination with objects, patterns, mechanical systems, at the expense of social development. A bias toward the mother moves the growing brain along what the researchers call the psychotic spectrum, toward hypersensitivity to mood, their own and others’. This, according to the theory, increases a child’s risk of developing
schizophrenia later on, as well as mood problems like bipolar disorder and depression."
posted by grumblebee
on Nov 11, 2008 -
43 comments
I know what you're thinking. What could be better than a below-low-budget sci-fi/horror hypersexualized
movie based off of a musical, with a playwright who also decided to star in both stage and screen adaptations? Well, then, what if we up the ante! It's also a socially-conscious cyberpunk movie musical, written, directed, scored and costumed by people in 2008 who have decided that 1996 is as far as the future goes, thanks... so it's also a goth/raver socially conscious cyberpunk movie musical, complete with blue-streaked hair, muppet-fur and clunky vinyl boots! No? We need to aim higher to do better? Well, here comes the kicker, the one element that will immortalize this film:
Starring Paris Hilton. Singing. In S&M gear. And a wig. Doing drugs. Lo, I bring you
REPO! The Genetic Opera! (The film.) NSFW or self respect.
posted by Slap*Happy
on Sep 5, 2008 -
53 comments
While many ailments are considered terrifying,
Lesch-Nyhan is the stuff of nightmares. An extremely rare genetic neurological disorder with no cure, it often compels its victims to self-mutilate, even when they understand that doing so causes them harm.
Richard Preston used Lesch-Nyhan as a plot device in his best-selling thriller
The Cobra Event, and went on to write a fascinating article about the disease, its sufferers, and its implications for human behavior in the
New Yorker. [PDF].
[more inside]
posted by Bora Horza Gobuchul
on Jun 5, 2008 -
35 comments
Peter Watts on Vampire Domestication (embedded Flash video, must click to start). The mythical corporation FizerPharm ("Trust. Profit. Deniability.") share their detailed research into the evolution and possible commercial applications of
Homo sapiens whedonum. You will learn: How and why the "crucifix glitch" came about. Why you should run from a blushing vampire. How many kilograms of human are needed to make one kilogram of vampire. How vampires resemble two year old humans, domestic shorthaired cats, and lungfish. And why "survival of the fittest" should be reconceptualized as "survival of the least inadequate". [more inside]
posted by maudlin
on Dec 24, 2006 -
19 comments
Get A-Life - an interesting read on
artificial life and
evolutionary computation, from the
game of life (
playable applet), through
core wars,
tierra and on to
genetic programming. This approach has recently borne fruit to genetic programming
pioneer and inventor of the
scratchcard,
John Koza, who last year
patented his invention machine, actually a
1000 machine beowulf cluster running his software, which has itself created several
inventions which have been granted patents.
[See also:
BBC Biotopia artificial life experiment, another
odd BBC evolution game,
Artificial Life Possibilities: A Star Trek Perspective]
posted by MetaMonkey
on May 3, 2006 -
14 comments
DNA profiling may be a
complex issue, but whatever your take, go ahead and try your hand at genetic sleuthing with
this spiffy flash interactive.
posted by moonbird
on Nov 15, 2003 -
2 comments
"Jody Has Two Daddies" -- The literal remix. Scientists are making egg cells now, raising the (eventual) possibility of one guy providing the genetic material to raise a crop of eggs, while the other guy provides the crop of sperm (no extra work necessary). Just add one surrogate mother and there you have it: Yet another fundamentalist nightmare, in cute infant "Adam and Steve" form.
posted by jscalzi
on May 2, 2003 -
27 comments
Cloned Cat Doesn't look and behave like the original cat.Public perception of cloning is clone=original, but we have the proof it isn't always true. Isn't that the proof complex systems doesn't always work like we want, so it'd better to slow down the marketing of genetic engineered food ?
posted by elpapacito
on Jan 21, 2003 -
48 comments
What the law show say about cloning. Francis Fukuyama and Robert Wright, who
have written about technology and "societal evolution", discuss the pros and cons of genetic engineering. This is not a discussion about the finer points of technology, but rather the philosophical implications of moving forward.
posted by mkultra
on Jul 12, 2002 -
1 comment
Why Genetic Engineering Is So Dangerous Environmentalist/biologist Barry Commoner's essay in the February issue of Harper's magazine warns about the unknown dangers of genetic engineering.
"...billions of transgenic plants are now being grown with only the most rudimentary knowledge about the resulting changes in their composition. Without detailed, ongoing analyses of the transgenic crops, there is no way of knowing what hazardous consequences may arise. But,
given the failure of the Central Dogma, there is no assurance that they will not. The genetically engineered crops now being grown represent a huge uncontrolled experiment; its outcome is inherently unpredictable.
Our project is designed to help develop effective public understanding of the dangerous implications of this critical predicament."
He asserts that the "Central Dogma", the basis for the Human Genome Project, was known to be flawed prior to the inception of the $3 billion program. Should we be amused/impressed or very worried when we read about pig/spinach crosses and the like?
Related article
here.
posted by martk
on Jan 25, 2002 -
16 comments
Genetic engineering leaves mice impervious to pain. By removing a protein called "DREAM", scientists were able to create rodents that didn't mind extreme heat, pressure and inflammation. This could provide hope for those suffering, or a strange removal from the experience of living, and classic human traits like bravery, strength, volition, and empathy, depending on your view.
posted by mdn
on Jan 15, 2002 -
23 comments
Finally, some genetic modification I can sink my teeth into! Wired reports this morning that an Australian researcher has identified the genetic characteristics for "tenderness" and "toughness" in cow muscle tissue. Aussie cattle ranchers are already gearing up to produce animals that result in more tender, juicier beef. I'm drooling already.
posted by briank
on Aug 22, 2001 -
14 comments
