[extropy-chat] SCI: Bio and nano progress

bradbury bradbury at blarg.net
Fri Mar 12 16:01:18 UTC 2004


Science Daily has a number of interesting articles today.

1. Scientists have found that the regulatory region of the gene HNF4A
which regulates a number of other genes particularly in the liver
and pancreas contains a number of variants in various populations
that may predispose one to type 2 diabetes.  (So now we are
getting close to being able to test for predispositions for a
major source of premature death).  Previously gene variants
were known that caused small numbers of cases of diabetes but
this may be one of the first major players.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040312090024.htm

2. Scientists have identified a second gene involved in regulating
when wheat flowers.  These genes VRN1 and VRN2 are what make wheat
so adaptable to various climates (allowing both summer and winter
wheat).  They have manipulated VRN2 to allow transgenic winter wheat
to flower more than a month earlier than it normally would.  This
may have interesting impacts if global warming does develop in a
serious way and our ability to predict long term climate trends
continues to improve (e.g. farmers can plant wheat strains targeted
towards specific annual climate predictions).

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040312085923.htm

3. And last but not least a group at Berkeley is using STMs
to stick single potassium atoms onto buckyballs.  Molecular
nanoelectronics is getting a little bit closer and Smalley's
room (in which is sits saying "but, but, but...") is getting a
little bit smaller.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040312085324.htm

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.extropy.org/pipermail/extropy-chat/attachments/20040312/2a769af3/attachment.html>


More information about the extropy-chat mailing list