Richard Dawkins main idea is that, we as ‘survival machines’ are designed to preserve and also designed by selfish genes (Dawkins,1989). In the book he described selfishness as altruism and unconscious purposive behavior. This means that there is no thought behind a gene’s action is just genetic. He also describes selfishness as as a behaviour … Read more
According to the website www. tutorvista. com, Prokaryotes differ from eukaryotes in their structure, packing, density, and arrangement of their genes on the chromosome. Differences in cellular structure of prokaryotes and eukaryotes include the presence of mitochondria and chloroplasts, the cell wall, and the structure of chromosomal DNA. All cells share some common characteristics that … Read more
Prader-Willi syndrome or PWS, is not a disease many people have knowledge about, or have even heard about it. Only about 1 in 25,000 children are born with this rare syndrome. In 1956, Prader-Willi was first described by Andrea Prader, Heinrich Willi, and Alexis Labhart. Prader and Willi, both Swiss pediatricians, and Labhart, an internist, … Read more
This is one of the most interesting genetic diseases in the world, and yet there is no cure for it. This disease can affect people drastically, or sometimes very little at all. Although there is no way to treat it, it can be helped, and there are many programs to help. This complex genetic disease … Read more
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the F1 genotype of fruit fly traits using the phenotypic ratio of the F2 generation and to express these results of the unknown cross through a Chi-square model and Mendelian genetics. After the experiment, it was found that the parents held a heterozygous genotype through using the … Read more
The fantasy of modifying human characteristics is not a fantasy anymore. In genetic modification or genetic engineering, scientists directly manipulate genes to change the genetic makeup of cells. From choosing the color of your baby’s eyes, to eliminating pre-existing conditions, genetic modification is a sure way of having a promising life. But with that being … Read more
Gene editing and synthetic biology are two techniques that go hand in hand but differ ever so slightly. It is this slight divergence that makes a world of a difference. Gene editing is defined as the process of editing an organism’s DNA by altering, removing or adding nucleotides to the genome. Whereas synthetic biology is … Read more
Modeling bacterial growth is important in maximizing the efficiencies of biological processes. Although there are many different methods of modeling bacterial growth, this experiment focuses on the Monod equations. However, in order to use the Monod equations, the maximum growth rate and Monod constant must be found. Here we show how the maximum growth rate … Read more
The question of whether or not it is ethical to change the genes of a child before they are born, to rid them of a family disease or just simply to be able to pick their traits, has been going on for years now. Every year humans as a whole are getting closer and closer … Read more
People strive for progression in order to move forward with the changing times. As scientific technology progresses, people begin to move towards the bright idea of perfection. This could be seen in the concept of designer babies. A designer baby is a baby that has its genes specifically chosen in order to ensure that a … Read more
Controversial themes have long been a component of memorable film. These particular films touch on topics audiences might have typically found taboo or litigious, often dealing with ethical and social affairs. A prime example of this is the 1997 sci-fi film Gattaca. In a nutshell, Gattaca is a tale about a genetically caste era featuring … Read more