November 20, 2008 – The International Genetically Engineered Machine competition brings undergraduates from around the world to MIT's campus to share the results of a summer's worth of synthetic biology research. More »
Three Horror Movies That Even a Scientist Could Love
November 6, 2008 – As a scientist I have mixed feelings about SF-oriented horror, which tends to show my lab coat-wearing brethren as myopic, obsessive, morally challenged individuals or as humorless skeptics. More »
Where Are My Medical Nanobots?
October 23, 2008 – Reader Wendy asks: When will nanobots clean out my arteries? While medical molecular machines are not likely to appear in the clinic soon, there's a decent amount of research going into the development of nanoscale robotics, and not only for therapeutic use. More »
What’s the Future of Cancer Diagnosis?
October 9, 2008 – I talked about the importance of early cancer diagnosis in a previous post, and reader Ian wrote back to ask for more detail. Early detection can be life-saving, but accuracy in these tests is also a serious problem - a test that misses existing cancers is obviously bad, but one that detects... More »
Will I Evolve Into a Being of Pure Energy?
September 18, 2008 – Welcome back to Ask a Biogeek, a column where biology researcher Terry Johnson answers questions about biology — no matter how weird. Back when I discussed our unlikeliest futures as a species, one commenter added to the list of improbabilities our eventual transcendence into a non-corporeal... More »
Where Is My Cure for Cancer?
September 4, 2008 – Welcome back to Ask a Biogeek, a column where you ask biology researcher Terry Johnson any question you want - no matter how weird. Reader Charlie writes: More »
What Are the Unlikeliest Futures for the Human Species?
August 21, 2008 – Welcome to Ask a Biogeek, a column where you ask UC Berkeley researcher Terry Johnson any question you want - no matter how weird. Reader Matthew asks: More »
Son Of “Where Are My Cybernetic Implants?”
August 7, 2008 – Welcome to Ask a Biogeek, a column where you ask UC Berkeley researcher Terry Johnson any question you want — no matter how weird. There seems to be a strong correlation between my posting an article on a subject, and my RSS feeds filling up with exciting new research, which I then wish I'd been... More »
Where Is My Hypospray?
July 17, 2008 – Welcome to Ask a Biogeek, a column where you ask UC Berkeley researcher Terry Johnson any question you want — no matter how weird. Reader Mairi proxies the following question: More »
Where Is My Silicon-Based Life?
July 3, 2008 – Welcome back to Ask a Biogeek, a biweekly column where UC Berkeley biology researcher Terry Johnson answers your questions, no matter how weird. Reader Mike asks: Can you speculate on what a silicon based lifeform might look like? More »
Can a Video Game Teach Evolution?
June 19, 2008 – Last week Electronic Arts was kind enough to invite me to a demonstration of Spore's creature creator. A few days ago, we told you about Spore, a video game that challenges you to guide a single cell on the bottom of the evolutionary ladder out of the ocean and into civilization. More »
Where Are My Bioengineered Ecologies?
June 5, 2008 – It's another installment of Ask a Biogeek, a column where UC Berkeley biology researcher Terry Johnson answers all your questions — especially the weird ones. More »
Where Are My Cybernetic Implants?
May 22, 2008 – A reader who would like to remain anonymous asks: As a disabled person whose body is basically falling apart (details too gross to go into), I've been wondering for a long time when I can get my cyborg transformation underway. More »
Where Is My Uterine Replicator (AKA Artificial Womb)?
May 8, 2008 – Reader Karen asks: One of my favourite sci-fi conceits in the Vorkosigan works of Lois McMaster Bujold is the uterine replicator. Sticking a fetus in a regulated jar until it's come full term and I can get my new baby boy, girl or hermaphrodite without all the vomiting, constant peeing, strenuous... More »
Where Is My Medical Tricorder?
April 17, 2008 – Reader Juan asks: If not the medical tricorder from Star Trek, when could we possibly see diagnostic equipment capable of scanning for infections, viruses or impending heart attacks, attached to wrist watches or other portable devices? More »
Forget the Jetpack – Where Are My Replacement Organs?
April 3, 2008 – Welcome to Ask a Biogeek, a column about cutting-edge biology by UC Berkeley researcher Terry Johnson. Knowing which organs you can live without is all well and good, but wouldn't you rather have replacement organs? More »
