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Are Nanoparticles Unsafe?
The Protein That Makes Sperm Such Speedy Swimmers
DNA Portraits Reveal Your Inner Beauty
Fabricate Your Own DNA Evidence
Using Quantum Dots To Detect The Early Signs Of Cancer
A Drug To Re-Awaken Ancient Human Genes And Fight HIV
The Most Awesome Science Video About DNA Ever Made
Volunteers Let Their Genomes All Hang Out
Extinct Tortoise Could Make a Comeback
10 Amusing Things to Do with Your Genome

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J_Frank_Parnell
11/09/09

In reply to Are Nanoparticles Unsafe?
Hooray for Science! #nanoparticles
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bookwench
11/08/09

In reply to Are Nanoparticles Unsafe?
Can we get a "duh"? When carbon nanotubes first came out they did a study showing the little buggers would kill *every* kind of cell on contact. Great for disinfecting stuff, not so great if you ever intend to use that surface again later. #nanoparticles
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Jeremy Tapsell
11/08/09

In reply to Are Nanoparticles Unsafe?
I must be weird then. I can't see any problem here. Nana Particles are sweet, yet tiny, dear old things who wouldn't harm a fly!
Until they get behind the wheel of a car! #nanoparticles
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Dr Emilio Lizardo
11/08/09

In reply to Are Nanoparticles Unsafe?
John Percival Hackworth is not amused. #nanoparticles
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gorehound
11/08/09

In reply to Are Nanoparticles Unsafe?
if you handle deadl;y substances properly there is not going to be an accident ( most of the time).
proper usages of this nano tech will prove beneficial but improper usage/storage could lead to folks being nano-infected (maybe) #nanoparticles
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cadrina
11/08/09

In reply to Are Nanoparticles Unsafe?
so the nanoparticles are thinking bad toughts and that is affecting the DNA? Did they found out the midichlorians of the dark side? #nanoparticles
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Malthian
11/08/09

@cadrina: What are midichlorians and why are you implying they have something to do with the force? #nanoparticles
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Jeremy Tapsell
11/08/09

@Malthian: thats what i want to know #nanoparticles
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Roklimber
11/08/09

In reply to Are Nanoparticles Unsafe?
This is ridiculous.

Such a general conclusion is not warranted by the specifics of the very particular kind of experiment they performed.

It's like saying that any kind of light is harmful to cells because gamma rays cause DNA mutations.

The Guardian article is an example of terrible reporting of bad science.
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Edited by Roklimber at 11/08/09 7:49 AM Roklimber was starred Roklimber was unstarred

The_Sporean_Bob
11/08/09

@Roklimber: what I'm wondering is: how did the nanoparticles damage the DNA without touching it? Telekinesis? Magic?
How it happened is just as important as that it happened. #nanoparticles
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Roklimber
11/08/09

@The_Sporean_Bob: The Guardian article mentions the researchers' hypothesis on how the damage occurs, and it isn't surprising given the concentration of metallic nanoparticles they used. #nanoparticles
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DireWombat
11/08/09

@The_Sporean_Bob: My first reaction is to ask "How soluble are your cobalt-chromium nanoparticles?" Both of those metals are fairly toxic, and some nonzero concentration of them will be present in solution from breakdown of the nanoparticles. That concentration may be negligible (if the particles are essentially insoluble), but if it's not, it would provide a better explanation than "Nanoparticles, whooo scary" (i.e., that the study showed that cobalt and/or chromium is toxic, which isn't exactly news). #nanoparticles
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evildead1971
10/01/09

In reply to The Protein That Makes Sperm Such Speedy Swimmers
so when your gf or wife is disappointed; you can tell her, they must be swimming fast tonight
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Edited by evildead1971 at 10/01/09 4:25 AM evildead1971 was starred evildead1971 was unstarred

Atomictao
09/30/09

In reply to The Protein That Makes Sperm Such Speedy Swimmers
So, how long till professional athletes are injecting this protein into their eyeballs?
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RandomFrequentFlierDent
10/01/09

@AtomicTao: Hopefully never since it wouldn't do a thing to make them any faster and would likely result in the destruction of their eye tissue (if not death if they took enough) since hypercompaction would probably prevent transcription.

I realize you may be joking, but really this protein has nothing to do with enhancing the abilities of anything beyond a sperm so your comment struck me as weird and out of place. Sorry if it came out as harsh.
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Edited by RandomFrequentFlierDent at 10/01/09 5:14 AM

Illogic
10/01/09

@RandomFrequentFlierDent: He's joking. Stop ranting like a mad scientist, sir!
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Atomictao
10/01/09

@RandomFrequentFlierDent: I have been schooled.

It was a joke, but you got to make yourself sound smart, so, kudos, sir. :)
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RandomFrequentFlierDent
10/01/09

@AtomicTao: Well I apologise again for coming off as harsh. I can never be sure about the joking. I enjoy the science articles on io9, but I find a lot of times there is a response of "Oh no! Genetic engineering! They're going to make superhumans! Just like in Gattaca!" which is hard for a genetics and biochem nerd to handle.

I guess my ability to spot sarcasm is a little clouded by my desire to leap to the defence of science. Allow me to give a belated "ha ha".

Oh and for the record, it's ma'am :P
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Edited by RandomFrequentFlierDent at 10/01/09 12:52 PM

Atomictao
10/01/09

@RandomFrequentFlierDent: Fair enough, ma'am. :)

Apology accepted, and I apologize for the snark which I answered your response with, as well; people tossing around knowledge as a weapon to prove how smart they are on message boards is something that has become a pet peeve of mine. :) (I once wrote a short story in which a character, in dialogue, referred to a rabbit as a rodent for alliterative purposes, and I had several responses not to comment or critique the piece, but to 'helpfully' point out to me that rabbits aren't rodents, but lagomorphs. Gee, thanks, readers. :p)

I see that you simply didn't read that it was a joke, so I don't lump you into this grouping, and I apologize for doing so as a kneejerk.
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gorehound
09/30/09

In reply to The Protein That Makes Sperm Such Speedy Swimmers
Interesting stuff.I like reading the science articles on io9
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Illogic
10/01/09

@gorehound: Same here.
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Stephen Goldmeier
10/02/09

@Illogic: I'm glad. I like reading them, too.
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
09/08/09

In reply to DNA Portraits Reveal Your Inner Beauty
The abstracts are the best. The orange one really fits the decor, and the B&W his and hers (I presume) over the bed are fun.

Not a rug, but it really ties the room together.
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TheGreenRanger
09/08/09

In reply to DNA Portraits Reveal Your Inner Beauty
While this is interesting, I think it works better for the more abstract and less of a portrait of self, personally, i'd rather just have a painting of a person without the blocks messing up the picture.
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MargaretMoony
09/08/09

In reply to DNA Portraits Reveal Your Inner Beauty
That's cool. Super expensive, but cool.
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acrobatic rabbit
09/08/09

In reply to DNA Portraits Reveal Your Inner Beauty
this is too cool. i want one. no, better yet, i think i'll make one. and if i have any friends over who just happen to be genetic scientists, they can exclaim, "my god! according to your DNA pattern artwork, you're a sex panther/primate hybrid!" and i'd say, "yes. yes I am."
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Edited by acrobatic rabbit at 09/08/09 10:51 AM acrobatic rabbit was starred acrobatic rabbit was unstarred

malo-ji
09/08/09

@acrobatic rabbit:

If you're 'a sex panther/primate hybrid', and enjoy long walks in the misty highland mountains of Africa ...

... have your primatologist contact my primatologist. Maybe we can get together for some mutual grooming.
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bookwench
08/19/09

In reply to Fabricate Your Own DNA Evidence
See? This just means we need more cameras. Cameras everywhere, in every aspect of our lives, to make ABSOLUTELY SURE we're all behaving in a morally appropriate fashion at all times.
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