Rob Stein

Scientists clone human embryos to make stem cells

Rob Stein — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:47:39 +0000

Scientists say they have, for the first time, cloned human embryos capable of producing embryonic stem cells.

The accomplishment is a long-sought step toward harnessing the potential power of embryonic stem cells to treat many human diseases. But the work also raises a host of ethical concerns.

"This is a huge scientific advance," said Dr. George Daley, a Harvard stem cell scientist who wasn't involved in the work.

Gut bacteria's belch may play a role in heart disease

Rob Stein — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:45:38 +0000

Scientists have discovered what may be an important new risk factor for heart disease.

Researchers use brain scans to reveal hidden dreamscape

Rob Stein — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 21:16:09 +0000

Scientists say they have found a way to get a glimpse of people's dreams.

"Our results show that we can predict what a person's seeing during dreams," says Yukiyasu Kamitani, a researcher at the ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Kyoto, Japan.

Philosophers, poets and psychologists have long shared a fascination with dreams.

Can You Get A Flu Shot And Still Get The Flu?

Rob Stein — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:03:03 +0000

This year's flu season started about a month early, prompting federal health officials to warn it could be one of the worst in years. They're urging everyone to get their flu shots.

But like every flu season, there are lots of reports of people complaining that they got their shot but still got the flu.

Geneticists Breach Ethical Taboo By Changing Genes Across Generations

Rob Stein — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:29:02 +0000

Geneticist reported Wednesday that they had crossed a threshold long considered off-limits: They have made changes in human DNA that can be passed down from one generation to the next.

The researchers at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland say they took the step to try to prevent women from giving birth to babies with genetic diseases.

Scientists create fertile eggs from mouse stem cells

Rob Stein — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 23:55:31 +0000

Scientists in Japan report they have created eggs from stem cells in a mammal for the first time. And the researchers went on to breed healthy offspring from the eggs they created.

While the experiments involved mice, the work is being met with excitement — and questions — about doing the same thing for humans someday.

"Wow. That's my general reaction," said Hank Greely, a bioethicist at Stanford University who studies stem-cell science.