The media are usually clueless and hopeless when it comes to reporting stories about euthanasia, cloning, stem cell research, Terri Schiavo, and the like, accurately. They either misstate facts or omit information that is crucial to understanding the story. Sometimes, I think it is bias. Sometimes, . . . . Continue Reading »
For years we have been told that one reason ES cells are superior to adult stem cells is that they are “immortal,” that is, they can remain viable in culture indefinitely. Several previous studies cast doubts on this assertion, and now another one seems to have put it into its grave by . . . . Continue Reading »
I was part of a one hour debate on a program aired on Wisconsin Public Radio last Sunday. (The program is called “Here on Earth.”) The first half hour was mostly taken up with Dr. Norman Fost giving the usual spin on stem cell research, including some misleading assertions, and my rather . . . . Continue Reading »
Some scientists are beginning to worry that proponents of ESCR and therapeutic cloning have overhyped their case. To say the least! And now they worry about a backlash and want to lower expectations. Sorry. Too late. The coming disenchantment will be terrible because science is one of the few . . . . Continue Reading »
Ingrid Newkirk, head of PETA, continues to amaze with her twisted sense of priorities. When some terrorists loaded a donkey with explosives in the Mideast and blew it up a few years ago in an attempt to murder scores of people, Newkirk sent a letter of protest to Yassar Arafat—about the death . . . . Continue Reading »
Just to let y’all know how often these reports are coming in these days, here’s a very hopeful story of the many and varied uses fat stem cells apparently have to treat diseases of the heart, bones, and other areas of the body. Once again, embryonic stem cells can make no such . . . . Continue Reading »
The State of Missouri has decided, in its lack of wisdom, to make feeding tubes “optional” under Medicaid for poor people. This is class warfare in the truest sense of the term. If someone needs a feeding tube to survive, and if they can’t afford to pay for the services, refusing . . . . Continue Reading »
Another human trial for adult stem cells, this time derived from muscles, after successful animal studies. Hopefully, this will lead to an effective treatment of stress urinary incontinence. Also of note, it is stated in this report that the stem cells are ‘pluripotent,’ that is able to . . . . Continue Reading »
Laws against bestiality shouldn’t be controversial. But in Washington State, some oppose making it against the law to have sex with animals. Meanwhile, promoters of the legislation are failing to make the most important argument of all: Sex with animals unacceptably subverts standards of basic . . . . Continue Reading »
It seems that much progress is being made on creating an artificial womb. This could be a very good thing, of course, as it could permit women to save endangered pregnancies. But it could also be the vehicle carrying biotechnologists from researching on cloned human embryos in Petri dishes into . . . . Continue Reading »
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