Biotechnology in science fiction

March 24th, 2013

As advances in biotechnology continue, the world outside the lab will continue to take increased notice in the possibilities of the field. Already many writers have latched themselves onto biotech, using their imagination to create fascinating worlds full of possibilities. Some are strange, some are visions of a future paradise, and some—as science fiction tends to do—are warnings of a world created by science left unchecked. Books such as Margret Atwood’s Oryx Read the rest of this entry »

The best schools for biotechnology students

June 12th, 2012

Biotechnology is an exciting field. There are new innovations being discovered every day. The best way to get into the field of biotechnology is to get a degree is biotechnology. It is imperative that you research different degree programs. You can begin your search by looking at this list of the best schools for biotechnology students.

Purdue

The main campus of Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana. It has over 18,000 students and a student teacher ratio of 18:1. The school is consistently ranked as being one of the top schools for biotechnology degrees.

Northwestern University

Northwestern Read the rest of this entry »

Blue, green, red, and white: The biotechnology field color code

August 22nd, 2011

Biotechnology includes a wide variety of technologies and many completely diverse applications and products. To further make easily differentiate the biotech field of studies one distinguishes with color codes. The following briefings are all about the different color assignments of colors. Pharmaceutical biotechnology (Red Biotechnology) is a branch of biotechnology that deals distinctively with human health care concern and techniques of treatment in the course of the development of medicines like antibiotics. This field of study can also engage research on genes through germ line engineering as Read the rest of this entry »

Biotechnology dictionary

August 19th, 2011

What exactly is biotechnology and what can a biotechnology dictionary teach me. Many people are probably asking themselves this same question. Biotechnology implements the use of living bacteria into the environment to aid in the manufacture of drugs and other products. It also aids in the production of human hormones and certain antibodies to help locate antigens. To get a better understanding of the terms associated with biotechnology and how it all works, for the good of humankind, a person will need to consult a biotechnology dictionary.

The dictionary is a great resource and a Read the rest of this entry »

Biotechnology names you need to know

August 16th, 2011

Biotechnology includes a diverse array of fields, of which names you should now. These include the controversial genetic engineering, forensics and bio-energy. The advances in these fields of biotechnology are providing the human race with new and exciting ways to manipulate their surroundings. By reviewing some aspects of these topics you will learn how these are biotechnology names you need to know.
Genetic engineering is controversial because it allows humans to play the role of god. While preferential traits have been exploited through herding techniques and selection in crop growing since the dawn of Read the rest of this entry »

Your Child Wants to go Into Biotech?

August 2nd, 2011

If your child has come to you for advice on getting an education in biotechnology, congratulations! They’re already one step ahead of the curve and have a good chance at finding a stable, well-paying job in the future. Here are a few of the tips you should give them when they’re applying to schools:
Decide on a School: There are obvious top runners for biotech degrees but your son or daughter should have a few backups as well. They can find information online with Satellitestarinternet or during Read the rest of this entry »

The historical origins of biotechnology

April 29th, 2011

In order to better understand biotechnology, one may want to learn about the historical origins of biotechnology. Biotechnology originated in farms where new techniques were required to grow agriculture. Farmers needed a means of growing enough crops for a large population of people. Growth rate and health of the agriculture that was being grown was greatly considered when deciding on what new techniques should be applied to grow mass-produced agriculture. The fertilizer that was used in crops were closely examined, and soon people realized what agents would work best in growing big, healthy Read the rest of this entry »

The origins of biotechnology

April 16th, 2011

Biotechnology began with zymotechnology, which is concerned with different brewing techniques used to brew beer. However, biotechnology has historically been associated with the concern of foods dealing with problems like malnutrition and famine.
Generic engineering brought biotechnology to the front of science resulting in it being more acceptable to the public and various areas of government concerned with its potential value to society.
Karl Ereky of Hungary was the individual who began using the term biotechnology Read the rest of this entry »

Cyborg info

November 4th, 2010

Recently, I found this interesting article on Wikipedia about real-life cyborgs, and thought that readers might be interested. For the complete article, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyborg:”Generally, the term “cyborg” is used to refer to a human with bionic, or robotic, implants.In current prosthetic applications, the C-Leg system developed by Otto Bock HealthCare is used to replace a human leg that has been amputated because of injury or illness. The use of sensors in the artificial C-Leg aids in walking significantly by attempting to replicate the user’s natural gait, as it would be prior to amputation. Prostheses like the C-Leg and the more advanced iLimb are considered by some to be the first real steps towards the next generation of real-world cyborg applications. Additionally cochlear implants and magnetic implants which provide people with a sense that they would not otherwise have had can additionally be thought of as creating cyborgs.In 2002, under the heading Project Cyborg, a British scientist, Kevin Warwick, had an array of 100 electrodes fired in to his nervous system in order to link his nervous system into the Internet. With this in place he successfully carried out a series of experiments including extending his nervous system over the Internet to control a robotic hand, a loudspeaker and amplifier. This is a form of extended sensory input and the first direct electronic communication between the nervous systems of two humans.In 2004, under the heading Bridging the Island of the Colourblind Project, a British and completely colorblind artist, Neil Harbisson, started wearing an eyeborg on his head in order to hear colors. His prosthetic device was included within his passport photograph which has been claimed to confirm his cyborg status.”

Can we clone a wooly mammothand should we?

October 29th, 2010

How many of us watched Jurassic Park or its sequel The Lost World and wondered how far away we were from such a visionan amusement park in which dinosaurs and other extinct species lived once again? Considering how many people are trying to replicate similar technology today, the answer is probably more than a few. However, there are issues associated with the technologyand rampaging dinosaurs are only part of the story.In 2009, the Pyrenean Ibex was the first extinct animal to be clonedand in effect, become “un-extinct.” The last Ibex had been killed by a falling tree in 2000, and its tissue samples were frozen in liquid nitrogen. However, the cloned ibex died after seven minutes due to lung defects. This demonstrated the need for pristine DNA when cloning, as even small defects could cause issues. It’s also unlikely that breeding members of the same species could be cloned from a single specimen. Read the rest of this entry »