We all have to get an annual flu shot. I know, it’s not really fun, but at least you’ll be protected during flu season, and hey, if your nurse is nice maybe you will get a lollipop afterwards!
Much like invertebrates, plants represent a large source of therapeutic compounds. Plants rely on chemicals for everything, and many of these compounds co-evolved with animals and fungi.
Many of our best drugs are derived from natural sources. Most people will first think of the curative properties of plants such as willows (acetylsalicylic acid, Aspirin) and Pacific Yew (paclitaxel, a cancer-fighting agent).
There is a large consorted effort in finding treatment options for diseases that stem from genetic aberrations such as mutations, DNA damage, and other heritable disorders.
"Rice is a beautiful food. It is beautiful when it grows, precision rows of sparkling green stalks shooting up to reach the hot summer sun. It is beautiful when harvested, autumn gold sheaves piled on diked, patchwork paddies. It is beautiful when, once threshed, it enters granary bins like a (flood...
Wine is the most complex and versatile drink on the planet.
The word ‘snobbery’ is an understatement that does not even begin to describe the obsession with the meticulously artisanal-roasted little brown beans.
Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous and naturally occurring heavy metal. Regrettably, very significant amounts of it are released into the environment due to human activities.
The year was 2001, after over a decade of work and billions of dollars of investment the first human genome was sequenced.
125 years later it appears that one of the greatest mysteries of all time has finally been solved.