- Dalya Rosner
Caffine seems to be vital for the functioning of the modern world, from keeping drivers awake to getting that last minute essay in on time. But why is it in the interests of the plants to make such a compound?.
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- Ruth Williams
Humans have exceptionally large and complex brains. Ruth has a look at two genes, that seem to have played a role in our cerebral evolution.
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- Peter Brennan
What is a smell? A smell is the sensory response to chemicals known as odourants, which are carried by the air around us. Both single chemicals and complex mixtures of many chemicals produce the sensation of a single smell or odour.
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- Chris Smith
Chris Smith describes how cloning, occuring naturally in your body continuously, will have produced literally metres of new - cloned - DNA, by the time you
finish this article, as cells divide to replace themselves, repair injury or help us grow.
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- Karen Smith
Developments in biological science, have led to a massive increase in the amount of data available in biology and medicine. Karen has a look at the Cambridge Computational Biological Institute, and what they are doing with it.
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- Mark Tester
Genetic modification (GM) is the heritable alteration of the genetic make-up of an organism, and is a natural process as old as genes themselves. Mark has a look at artificial and natural genetic modification.
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- Becky Poole
Why re-invent the wheel when Nature has already come up with the best solution? Becky Poole explores the field of biomimetics - quite literally how engineers are borrowing from biology...
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- Barry Gibb
Scientists studying the Conus snail have found that it harbours a cocktail of over 50 nerve toxins in its venom, some of which have powerful painkilling (a
nalgesic) properties, and are now undergoing clinical trials.
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- Kat Arney
Imagine if you could turn your muscles into blood cells, or turning your bone marrow into muscle. How about changing your blood to brain cells, then back again, or making a spare liver from your bone marrow?
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- Helen Scales
CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) aims to regulate the trade in animal and plant species threatened with extinction throu
gh worldwide trade, legal or illegal. Helen has a look at its workings.
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