Podcasts about human embryos

NEDC President Dr. Jeffrey Keenan thinks February's landmark Alabama Supreme Court ruling could lead to a more life-affirming world for frozen embryos. But it won't happen without navigating some complex questions: Does “life begins at conception” include embryos? Are we willing to advocate for more ethical IVF? Can Christian believers unite on a life-affirming approach to fertility treatment? Dr. Keenan walks through some of these vital questions in this special episode of The Embryo Adoption Podcast. Share, rate, review, and subscribe to The Embryo Adoption Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.  

This week I tackle the controversial Alabama Supreme Court ruling on the topic of IVF and the rights of embryos. More specifically, I look at a brief history of the term 'embryo' and 'fetus' and then consider Chief Justice Parker's opinion in the case. What is a fetus and an embryo? Do embryos have rights? And if they do, what does that mean for IVF? Alabama Supreme Court Ruling As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at thegbgpodcast@gmail.com, and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

This week I tackle the controversial Alabama Supreme Court ruling on the topic of IVF and the rights of embryos. More specifically, I look at a brief history of the term 'embryo' and 'fetus' and then consider Chief Justice Parker's opinion in the case. What is a fetus and an embryo? Do embryos have rights? And if they do, what does that mean for IVF? Alabama Supreme Court Ruling As always, if you have any law/government related questions, feel free to email me at thegbgpodcast@gmail.com, and I will be happy to address them on the program. Thank you and God bless! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter or go to www.ericluppold.com Please support me on Patreon!

Join Dr. Bahijja Raimi-Abraham as she shares her recent experiences as a keynote speaker at the UKI CRS Symposium and reflects on her early days as an extra on the set of Skyfall. Dr. Bahijja discusses the intriguing findings presented at the British Cardiovascular Society Conference, revealing a higher incidence of heart attacks on a particular day of the week. She also explores the groundbreaking research on synthetic human embryos created from stem cells, highlighting the ethical implications surrounding their use. Lastly, Dr. Bahijja provides a sneak peek into the upcoming episodes focusing on psychedelic drugs and their potential in medicine and health, including a upcoming interviews. Tune in for these engaging topics and stay till the end for recommendations of exciting STEM-related events worldwide. Don't forget to subscribe, leave reviews, and follow Monday Science (@mondayscience on Instagram and TikTok, @mondayscience_ on Twitter) for more fascinating content and discussions. Thank you for joining us, and stay curious for the next episode! Subscribe, follow, comment and get in touch! Submit your questions or send your voice note questions (up to 30 seconds) - https://www.mondaysciencepodcast.com/getintouch e. info@mondaysciencepodcast.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mondayscience/message

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, September 15th, 2023. Rowdy Christian Merch Plug: If you’re a fan of CrossPolitic, or the Fight Laugh Feast Network, then surely, you know we have a merch store right? Rowdy Christian Merch is your one-stop-shop for everything CrossPolitc merchandise. We’ve got T-Shirts, hoodies, hats, but we’ve also got specialty items like backpacks, mugs, coffee, even airpod cases! Visit Rowdy Christian Merch at rowdychristian.com, and buy that next gift, or a little something for yourself. Again, that’s rowdychristian.com. https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-hunter-biden-indicted-on-gun-charges-in-delaware?utm_campaign=64487 Hunter Biden indicted on gun charges in Delaware Hunter Biden has been indicted on felony gun charges in the state of Delaware. This after a plea deal fell through earlier this summer that would have let him off the hook for the charges, so long as he met certain conditions. Biden had been accused of lying on an FBI background check form in order to purchase a firearm, one Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver. He said that he was not a drug user when, in fact, he was. This was revealed in his own memoir Beautiful Things. The indictment reads that Biden violated Chapter 44, Title 18 of the United States Code by falsely asserting that he was not a drug user on ATF Form 4473. That form required that the buyer must state that he is aware that "making any false oral or written statement... is a crime punishable as a felony under Federal law, and may violate State and /or local law." Biden was indicted on three counts. The first is that Biden "knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement, intended and likely to deceive that dealer with respect to a fact material to the lawfulness of the sale of the firearm..." That count further provides that Biden gave a "written statement on Form 4473 certifying that he was not an unlawful user of, and addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug, and any other controlled substance, when in fact, as he knew, that statement was false and fictitious." The second count states that he made this false statement knowingly "to be kept" in the records of the company from which he made the purchase. The third count is that Biden then possessed the weapon unlawfully. The indictment, delivered by a grand jury, was signed off on by special counsel David Weiss, who is also the US Attorney for the State of Delaware. Biden was set to plead guilty to tax charges in June, with the expectation that the gun charge would be dismissed. Weiss, who was prosecuting the case for the state of Delaware and the Department of Justice, was anticipated to make a deal for a diversion agreement for the gun charge. Chris Clark, Biden's attorney, said at the time that "A firearm charge, which will be subject to a pretrial diversion agreement and will not be the subject of the plea agreement, will also be filed by the Government." That deal fell apart in July after US District Judge Maryellen Noreika recognized that in the diversion agreement, it appeared that both defense and prosecution had agreed that Biden would also gain immunity for any charges stemming from not having filed as a foreign agent when conducting business deals overseas. The prosecutors explained that this was not their understanding, at which point the defense also did not go along with the plea deal. The maximum prison term for lying on the ATF form is 10 years. Hunter's father, President Joe Biden, is a staunch proponent of gun control legislation. He routinely touts the importance of universal background checks, claiming that this way people who should not have guns will get guns. After mass shooting events during his presidency he has stressed the need for background checks before firearms purchases are permitted to be made. He has also pressed for a "major crackdown" on gun dealers, the very kinds of gun dealers to whom his son submitted falsified records. He has also demanded that more states enact "red flag" laws, which allow family members to have law enforcement take a gun from a gun owner in the event that a family member or concerned person claims that gun owner is not stable enough to own a gun. Biden further said that the right to bear arms, as secured by the Bill of Rights under the Second Amendment, is "not absolute," and that no right "is absolute." Biden said that "the Second Amendment, like all other rights, is not absolute." https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/09/13/eu-parliament-legislates-for-the-sale-of-human-embryos/ EU Parliament Legislates for The Sale of Human Embryos. Members of the European Parliament have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new “Substances of Human Origin” (SoHO) framework, which permits the sale of human embryos and degrades human life to be the equivalent of any other cells or tissue. The measures are set to regulate the supply and donations of so-called “substances,” such as blood, cells, and tissue, used for medically assisted reproduction as well as other procedures, including transfusions and transplants. They also allow people to receive “compensation or reimbursement for losses or expenses incurred” when making a donation. The measures passed in the parliament by 483 votes to 52 on Tuesday, despite amendments proposed by conservatives to prevent the use of fetuses for financial gain being voted down. Those who voted in favor also ignored the appeals made by the Commission of Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union, which argued: “Human life is not just a ‘substance of human origin’…human life from the beginning, including unborn life ‘possesses its own dignity, right, and independent right of protection.'” Director of the NBIC Ethics think tank, Laetitia Pouliquen, also warned after the vote passed that it would create a “highest-bidder body and fertility market” across the continent. The new framework will be sent to the European Council, with further discussions to start at the beginning of the next year. https://dailycaller.com/2023/09/13/hurricane-lee-margot-new-england-atlantic-develop/ Hurricane Lee Grows So Terrifyingly Huge, It Doesn’t Matter If It Makes Landfall. We’re In Trouble. Hurricane Lee increased to an absolutely enormous storm overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, and is currently estimated to be roughly 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) across. Even if Hurricane Lee doesn’t make landfall, its current trajectory is going to cause coastal flooding and extremely strong winds off the shores of the Northeast and into Atlantic Canada throughout the week, multiple forecasters said Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. While AccuWeather hopes Lee will be downgraded to a Cat. 2 storm by Friday, down to a Cat. 1 or Tropical Storm by Saturday and Sunday, there are multiple landfall scenarios being monitored at this time. New England is already suffering from extensive flooding, which left vehicles stranded and homes damaged, as seen in footage shared online. Things would probably only get worse should Lee’s trajectory shift and sit over the region. At the same time, Hurricane Margot is heading in almost the exact same direction as Lee, but coming at the Northeast and Atlantic Canada from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean at the time of writing. But regardless of where Lee lands, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said there “will be little to no significance on exactly where the center reaches the coast.” The entire area is under threat of hazards, according to the agency, and all those living within it should prepare immediately. Two additional areas of disorganized storms are currently brewing between North Africa and northern South America, in a similar region to where Lee and Margot first formed. The NHC estimates a 50% chance these areas turn into a single cyclone in the 48 hours from the time of writing. As late summer weather continues to plague the U.S., we are almost certainly on track for a fall defined by hurricanes. https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/09/13/homicides-up-29-in-bowsers-d-c/ Homicides Up 29% in Bowser’s D.C. Homicides in Democrat-dominated Washington D.C. are up by 29 percent compared to this time last year, with annual murders on course to hit their highest total in 20 years. There has been an even sharper 67 percent rise in robberies, and minors are increasingly entangled in the crime wave as both perpetrators and victims. Forty-one youths aged 12 to 15 had been arrested for carjackings and 81 under-18s had been shot as of the end of August – up from 61 over the same time frame in 2022 and 37 in 2021. The Democratic Party dominates D.C. politics, with Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Council all being Democrats or “Independents” whose previous affiliation was Democrat. Mayor Bowser has claimed she wants to “throw every resource at reducing crime” and she has increased the latest public safety budget – but during the ‘Defund the Police’ mania following the death of George Floyd in 2020 the Counil trimmed $32 million from police funding, as $4.8 million was splurged on the creation of Black Lives Matter Plaza. Bowser’s apologists sometimes complain that the federal government is in charge of prosecutors and some other criminal justice functionaries in D.C., although the federal government is also under Democrat control at present.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, September 15th, 2023. Rowdy Christian Merch Plug: If you’re a fan of CrossPolitic, or the Fight Laugh Feast Network, then surely, you know we have a merch store right? Rowdy Christian Merch is your one-stop-shop for everything CrossPolitc merchandise. We’ve got T-Shirts, hoodies, hats, but we’ve also got specialty items like backpacks, mugs, coffee, even airpod cases! Visit Rowdy Christian Merch at rowdychristian.com, and buy that next gift, or a little something for yourself. Again, that’s rowdychristian.com. https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-hunter-biden-indicted-on-gun-charges-in-delaware?utm_campaign=64487 Hunter Biden indicted on gun charges in Delaware Hunter Biden has been indicted on felony gun charges in the state of Delaware. This after a plea deal fell through earlier this summer that would have let him off the hook for the charges, so long as he met certain conditions. Biden had been accused of lying on an FBI background check form in order to purchase a firearm, one Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver. He said that he was not a drug user when, in fact, he was. This was revealed in his own memoir Beautiful Things. The indictment reads that Biden violated Chapter 44, Title 18 of the United States Code by falsely asserting that he was not a drug user on ATF Form 4473. That form required that the buyer must state that he is aware that "making any false oral or written statement... is a crime punishable as a felony under Federal law, and may violate State and /or local law." Biden was indicted on three counts. The first is that Biden "knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement, intended and likely to deceive that dealer with respect to a fact material to the lawfulness of the sale of the firearm..." That count further provides that Biden gave a "written statement on Form 4473 certifying that he was not an unlawful user of, and addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug, and any other controlled substance, when in fact, as he knew, that statement was false and fictitious." The second count states that he made this false statement knowingly "to be kept" in the records of the company from which he made the purchase. The third count is that Biden then possessed the weapon unlawfully. The indictment, delivered by a grand jury, was signed off on by special counsel David Weiss, who is also the US Attorney for the State of Delaware. Biden was set to plead guilty to tax charges in June, with the expectation that the gun charge would be dismissed. Weiss, who was prosecuting the case for the state of Delaware and the Department of Justice, was anticipated to make a deal for a diversion agreement for the gun charge. Chris Clark, Biden's attorney, said at the time that "A firearm charge, which will be subject to a pretrial diversion agreement and will not be the subject of the plea agreement, will also be filed by the Government." That deal fell apart in July after US District Judge Maryellen Noreika recognized that in the diversion agreement, it appeared that both defense and prosecution had agreed that Biden would also gain immunity for any charges stemming from not having filed as a foreign agent when conducting business deals overseas. The prosecutors explained that this was not their understanding, at which point the defense also did not go along with the plea deal. The maximum prison term for lying on the ATF form is 10 years. Hunter's father, President Joe Biden, is a staunch proponent of gun control legislation. He routinely touts the importance of universal background checks, claiming that this way people who should not have guns will get guns. After mass shooting events during his presidency he has stressed the need for background checks before firearms purchases are permitted to be made. He has also pressed for a "major crackdown" on gun dealers, the very kinds of gun dealers to whom his son submitted falsified records. He has also demanded that more states enact "red flag" laws, which allow family members to have law enforcement take a gun from a gun owner in the event that a family member or concerned person claims that gun owner is not stable enough to own a gun. Biden further said that the right to bear arms, as secured by the Bill of Rights under the Second Amendment, is "not absolute," and that no right "is absolute." Biden said that "the Second Amendment, like all other rights, is not absolute." https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/09/13/eu-parliament-legislates-for-the-sale-of-human-embryos/ EU Parliament Legislates for The Sale of Human Embryos. Members of the European Parliament have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new “Substances of Human Origin” (SoHO) framework, which permits the sale of human embryos and degrades human life to be the equivalent of any other cells or tissue. The measures are set to regulate the supply and donations of so-called “substances,” such as blood, cells, and tissue, used for medically assisted reproduction as well as other procedures, including transfusions and transplants. They also allow people to receive “compensation or reimbursement for losses or expenses incurred” when making a donation. The measures passed in the parliament by 483 votes to 52 on Tuesday, despite amendments proposed by conservatives to prevent the use of fetuses for financial gain being voted down. Those who voted in favor also ignored the appeals made by the Commission of Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union, which argued: “Human life is not just a ‘substance of human origin’…human life from the beginning, including unborn life ‘possesses its own dignity, right, and independent right of protection.'” Director of the NBIC Ethics think tank, Laetitia Pouliquen, also warned after the vote passed that it would create a “highest-bidder body and fertility market” across the continent. The new framework will be sent to the European Council, with further discussions to start at the beginning of the next year. https://dailycaller.com/2023/09/13/hurricane-lee-margot-new-england-atlantic-develop/ Hurricane Lee Grows So Terrifyingly Huge, It Doesn’t Matter If It Makes Landfall. We’re In Trouble. Hurricane Lee increased to an absolutely enormous storm overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, and is currently estimated to be roughly 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) across. Even if Hurricane Lee doesn’t make landfall, its current trajectory is going to cause coastal flooding and extremely strong winds off the shores of the Northeast and into Atlantic Canada throughout the week, multiple forecasters said Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. While AccuWeather hopes Lee will be downgraded to a Cat. 2 storm by Friday, down to a Cat. 1 or Tropical Storm by Saturday and Sunday, there are multiple landfall scenarios being monitored at this time. New England is already suffering from extensive flooding, which left vehicles stranded and homes damaged, as seen in footage shared online. Things would probably only get worse should Lee’s trajectory shift and sit over the region. At the same time, Hurricane Margot is heading in almost the exact same direction as Lee, but coming at the Northeast and Atlantic Canada from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean at the time of writing. But regardless of where Lee lands, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said there “will be little to no significance on exactly where the center reaches the coast.” The entire area is under threat of hazards, according to the agency, and all those living within it should prepare immediately. Two additional areas of disorganized storms are currently brewing between North Africa and northern South America, in a similar region to where Lee and Margot first formed. The NHC estimates a 50% chance these areas turn into a single cyclone in the 48 hours from the time of writing. As late summer weather continues to plague the U.S., we are almost certainly on track for a fall defined by hurricanes. https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/09/13/homicides-up-29-in-bowsers-d-c/ Homicides Up 29% in Bowser’s D.C. Homicides in Democrat-dominated Washington D.C. are up by 29 percent compared to this time last year, with annual murders on course to hit their highest total in 20 years. There has been an even sharper 67 percent rise in robberies, and minors are increasingly entangled in the crime wave as both perpetrators and victims. Forty-one youths aged 12 to 15 had been arrested for carjackings and 81 under-18s had been shot as of the end of August – up from 61 over the same time frame in 2022 and 37 in 2021. The Democratic Party dominates D.C. politics, with Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Council all being Democrats or “Independents” whose previous affiliation was Democrat. Mayor Bowser has claimed she wants to “throw every resource at reducing crime” and she has increased the latest public safety budget – but during the ‘Defund the Police’ mania following the death of George Floyd in 2020 the Counil trimmed $32 million from police funding, as $4.8 million was splurged on the creation of Black Lives Matter Plaza. Bowser’s apologists sometimes complain that the federal government is in charge of prosecutors and some other criminal justice functionaries in D.C., although the federal government is also under Democrat control at present.

Today InPerspective with Dr. Harry Reeder September 8, 2023

Scientists in Israel have created an entity that mimics an early human embryo. But from a biomedical ethics perspective, what are the concerns? Joining me now is Graham Finlay, School of Politics and International Relations in UCD...

Scientists in Israel have created an entity that mimics an early human embryo. But from a biomedical ethics perspective, what are the concerns? Joining me now is Graham Finlay, School of Politics and International Relations in UCD...

An embryo is formed as a result of the fertilisation of an egg by a sperm, and that's what goes on to develop into a foetus. But what if an embryo could be created using only stem cells instead, sidestepping the need for eggs or sperm? That's what a team from the University of Cambridge and the California Institute of Technology said they've successfully done. Here to help us understand what exactly these scientists have created and the ethical issues with these kinds of research, is neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar, joining us as always for her Brain Waves series. Image Credit: Shutterstock

 His Week That Was – Kevin Healy Life's work of academic, researcher, military analyst and peace activist, Professor Richard Tanter. Intelligence, artificial intelligence and whether machines can think... questions for Marxist historian and author Humphrey McQueen The push for synthetic human embryos, genetically modified baby food, and much more – Bob Phelps, Executive Director of the GeneEthics Network Climate change: Pacific Nations have had enough, time for action – award winning journalist and researcher Nic MacLellan Head to www.3cr.org.au/hometime-tuesday for full access to links and previous podcasts

The heinous scientific experiments performed on living human beings at the hands of Nazi doctors and researchers was internationally condemned and prohibited as “crimes against humanity” by the Nuremberg Code that was formulated seventy-five years ago in August 1947. In 1987, forty years later, the Magisterial Instruction Donum vitae added important new bioethical standards regarding the ethical and medical treatment of human embryos:– Are Therapeutic Procedures Carried Out on the Human Embryo Licit?– How is One Morally to Evaluate Research and Experimentation on Human Embryos?The Catechism of the Catholic Church 2274, also clearly teaches that “Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.” This webinar will discuss the moral imperative to “treat human embryos as human patients” and to protect them – “like any other human being” – from “heinous crimes against humanity.”ELIZABETH B. REX, MBA, PH.D., TH.D. (CANDIDATE)The Magisterial FAQS Regarding the Ethical Treatment – and the Legal Protection – of Human Embryos who are Human BeingsDr. Elizabeth Rex is the President of the The Children First Foundation, a charitable and educational organization dedicated to promoting Adoption as a positive and loving choice for unwanted unborn children, including unwanted frozen embryos. Dr. Rex has taught Bioethics at Holy Apostles College & Seminary and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Catholic Studies at Sacred Heart University. Dr. Rex has spoken at major conferences and is a frequent contributor to National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly regarding the moral arguments in the embryo adoption debate.ABSTRACTMy presentation will discuss the most important Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) regarding the teachings of the Catholic Church in Donum vitae (in 1987), Dignitas personae (in 2008), and the Catechism of the Catholic Church that magisterially define and defend the ethical treatment of human beings from the first moment of their conception. These major magisterial documents also call for the “intervention of political authorities and legislators” to establish civil laws that ensure the legal protection of “human beings, even at the embryonic stage.” (Donum vitae III: Conclusion). My presentation will conclude with a brief review of important international and national laws that have already been legislatively enacted to provide the legal protection of embryos as human beings, who must be treated as human persons and patients.GEORGE MYCHASKIW II, DO, FAAP, FACOP, FASAThe Medical FAQS Regarding the Ethical and Therapeutic Healthcare of Human Embryos who are Human PatientsDr. George Mychaskiw is a founder and President of the Saint Padre Pio Institute School of Osteopathic Medicine (proposed), which will be co-located on the campus of Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas. Dr. Mychaskiw is a thought leader in medical education and has developed four operating US osteopathic medical colleges and is in the process of developing four more. A practicing cardiac anesthesiologist, Dr. Mychaskiw is a graduate of the Kansas City College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency and fellowships in pediatric and cardiothoracic anesthesiology at the Yale University School of Medicine.ABSTRACTIn vitro fertilization (IVF) and the creation of human embryos are assisted reproductive technologies that have come into widespread use ahead of a structured foundation in medical ethics. As a result, the commercial applications of IVF have outpaced ethical restraint and consideration, such that millions of human lives are being created, without thought to their ultimate disposition. This presentation will discuss the biomedical aspects of IVF technology and illustrate the numerous unintended consequences of its proliferation. A case will be made for a prohibition or moratorium on IVF until legislation and regulations are enacted to protect these human lives and prevent further erosion of unborn human rights.

Scientists have created synthetic human embryos using stem cells in a groundbreaking advance that sidesteps the need for eggs or sperm. Madeleine Finlay speaks to science correspondent Hannah Devlin about her world exclusive story on this development, what it could mean for medical research, and whether the ethical and regulatory classifications of these embryos are keeping pace with the science. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

Scientists recently made a jaw-dropping announcement at a conference on stem cell research. They created synthetic embryos using stem cells, instead of eggs and sperm. Dalhousie University bioethicist Françoise Baylis talks about the advancement and its ethical implications.

Join Dr. Bahijja Raimi-Abraham as she shares her recent experiences as a keynote speaker at the UKI CRS Symposium and reflects on her early days as an extra on the set of Skyfall. Dr. Bahijja discusses the intriguing findings presented at the British Cardiovascular Society Conference, revealing a higher incidence of heart attacks on a particular day of the week. She also explores the groundbreaking research on synthetic human embryos created from stem cells, highlighting the ethical implications surrounding their use. Lastly, Dr. Bahijja provides a sneak peek into the upcoming episodes focusing on psychedelic drugs and their potential in medicine and health, including a upcoming interviews. Tune in for these engaging topics and stay till the end for recommendations of exciting STEM-related events worldwide. Don't forget to subscribe, leave reviews, and follow Monday Science (@mondayscience on Instagram and TikTok, @mondayscience_ on Twitter) for more fascinating content and discussions. Thank you for joining us, and stay curious for the next episode! Subscribe, follow, comment and get in touch! Submit your questions or send your voice note questions (up to 30 seconds) - https://www.mondaysciencepodcast.com/getintouch e. info@mondaysciencepodcast.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mondayscience/message

The Fed has decided to hold off on a rate hike for now, but has warned there are two coming soon. Counterfeit pills are now being found across pharmacies in Mexico, and of those tested, half came back as fakes. And scientists have created synthetic human embryos using stem cells in a groundbreaking advance.

University of Cambridge and California Institute of Technology scientists say they've created synthetic early human embryos using “reprogrammed” stem cells - opening research potential and ethical concerns. NHS junior doctors resume strike as government pay row deepens. Microsoft temporarily blocked from acquiring Activision. Assassin's Creed VR game revealed in first trailer. PlayStation Plus new games - and new PS5 streaming.Also in this episode:Reddit apps protest: Mods continue blackout amid impasse with bossesInflammatory bowel disease links to increased stroke riskHuman ancestor Lucy ‘had knee joints to walk fully upright' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even though society at large continually rejects God, science advances. Our challenge, then, is to be able to meet this secular scientific thinking with a sound biblical alternative. Are we allowed to "monkey" around with human embryos? Are we allowed to wantonly reprogram the human genome?

Ali H. Brinvanlou, Ph.D., shares his work using in vitro attached human embryos and genome-edited synthetic embryos derived from human embryonic stem cells to learn the molecular, cellular, and embryological basis of early human development. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 38324]

Ali H. Brinvanlou, Ph.D., shares his work using in vitro attached human embryos and genome-edited synthetic embryos derived from human embryonic stem cells to learn the molecular, cellular, and embryological basis of early human development. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 38324]

Ali H. Brinvanlou, Ph.D., shares his work using in vitro attached human embryos and genome-edited synthetic embryos derived from human embryonic stem cells to learn the molecular, cellular, and embryological basis of early human development. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 38324]

Ali H. Brinvanlou, Ph.D., shares his work using in vitro attached human embryos and genome-edited synthetic embryos derived from human embryonic stem cells to learn the molecular, cellular, and embryological basis of early human development. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 38324]

Ali H. Brinvanlou, Ph.D., shares his work using in vitro attached human embryos and genome-edited synthetic embryos derived from human embryonic stem cells to learn the molecular, cellular, and embryological basis of early human development. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 38324]

A new ruling uses the same language as pre-Civil War slavery law. 

Recently, an impressive development in embryology was reported by the Israeli Weizmann Institute of Science. Using only stem cells, without the presence of sperm, eggs, or even a womb, researchers successfully created functioning mouse embryos, complete with beating hearts, blood circulation, brain tissue and rudimentary digestive systems. Carolyn Johnson in The Washington Post described the discovery as “a fascinating, potentially fraught realm of science that could one day be used to create replacement organs for humans.”  For the more than 100,000 people currently waiting for a life-saving organ donation, that kind of breakthrough would indeed seem like a miracle. However, since scientists are still years away from creating human organs in a lab for the purpose of transplant, the technology raises serious ethical questions, none of which should be taken lightly.   One of these questions is, in fact, an old one. Do the promises of embryonic stem cell research justify it? While some stem cells can be harvested from a variety of non-embryonic sources such as bone marrow, others are harvested from so-called “unused” embryos that have been donated to science. The lives of these tiny, undeveloped human beings are taken in the process.  For context, the research conducted by the Weizmann Institute uses embryonic stem cells. Though, for the time being, this implies only embryonic stem cells harvested from mice, the move to human research would involve the harvesting of stem cells from human embryos and involve tissue derived from already living human beings.  The Christian stance on when life begins is the same as the science. Human life begins at conception, and every single human life is worthy of protection. If we would not take the life of a born child in our research for a cure for some medical condition, neither the anonymity of an embryo nor the confines of a laboratory justify doing the same thing in the process of embryonic stem cell research.   Science is a process of trial and error, but we should never employ “trial and error” with the lives of thousands of human beings, in particular human beings who cannot consent to our actions. A rule of thumb is this. If you wouldn't try an experiment on an adult or small child, don't do it to human embryos at any stage.   The breakthrough at the Weizmann Institute, however, takes this old debate a step further. On one hand, lead researcher Dr. Jacob Hanna was quick to clarify that the goal is not to make complete, living organisms of mice or any other species. “We are really facing difficulties making organs,” he said, “and in order to make stem cells become organs, we need to learn how the embryo does that.”  Given the history of science, including the last chapter involving breathless promises of what embryonic stem cell research would bring, the grandiose predictions of scientists should be taken with at least a grain of salt. The process of growing organs for mice, for example, involved the creation of entire embryos. Should the technology be perfected in mice, what ethical or legal limits are there to prevent the creation of synthetic human embryos for the purpose of harvesting their organs?  Our first concern should be what these embryos would be created for. The answer is, inevitably, “science,” devoid of any consideration for human purpose, relationships, worth, or dignity as equal members of the human species. All societies that treat people as a means of scientific advancement, instead of infinitely valuable ends in-and-of themselves, have a track record of perpetrating atrocities.   A second concern is what these embryos would be deprived of. Though not all do, every human should enter the world with the love and commitment of their biological mom and dad. The very design of human development suggests this, and societies have long recognized that those born without these relationships have had something priceless taken from them. Creating children from cloning or stem cells intentionally makes them orphans, ripping them from the vital context of parental relationship. It is a grave injustice.  Bringing children into the world as a product of pure science without the possibility of relationship with their biological parents or relatives is enough an ethical consideration to oppose such research, but we should also consider the implications of recklessly creating humans for future experimentation and of dismantling them to see how their components work.   Science is, in many ways, blind to what should be ethical bright lines. Creating organs for transplant in order to save lives is a worthy goal. But such work should only proceed in an ethical manner, one which does not require the death of other distinct, valuable, human beings. Unfortunately, such ideas have not shaped the society we live in today. 

Guest Host: Tim Barnett   Tim and Alan make a quick pro-life case then chat about responses to some popular pro-choice memes that claim life begins at first breath, a fetus is only a potential human, you can freeze an embryo because it isn't alive, saving one newborn vs. five embryos, no brain activity means legally dead, if you think abortion is wrong, don't get one, and more.   Topics: Responding to Pro-Choice Memes (00:00) Life begins at first breath. (14:00) You can only ban safe abortions. (25:00) An acorn is only a potential tree, so a fetus is only a potential human. (29:00) You can freeze an embryo but not a baby because an embryo isn't alive. (35:00) Would you save one newborn or five frozen embryos? (39:00) A person who doesn't have brain activity is legally dead, so a heartbeat doesn't mean the embryo is alive. (46:00) Meme: If you think abortion is wrong, don't get an abortion. (52:00) Mentioned on the Show:  The Matter of Life film Red Pen Logic – YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook Related Links: Pro-Life Crash Course by Amy Hall Does the Bible Teach That Life Begins at First Breath? by Tim Barnett Does Human Life Begin When We Take Our First Breath? by Amy Hall Fetal Personhood: It's Simple by Greg Koukl Does the Fertility Clinic Illustration Disprove the Value of Human Embryos? by Greg Koukl Toddlers or Embryos: Which Would You Save? by Tim Barnett (Red Pen Logic)

Guest Host: Tim Barnett   Tim and Alan make a quick pro-life case then chat about responses to some popular pro-choice memes that claim life begins at first breath, a fetus is only a potential human, you can freeze an embryo because it isn't alive, saving one newborn vs. five embryos, no brain activity means legally dead, if you think abortion is wrong, don't get one, and more.   Topics: Responding to Pro-Choice Memes (00:00) Life begins at first breath. (14:00) You can only ban safe abortions. (25:00) An acorn is only a potential tree, so a fetus is only a potential human. (29:00) You can freeze an embryo but not a baby because an embryo isn't alive. (35:00) Would you save one newborn or five frozen embryos? (39:00) A person who doesn't have brain activity is legally dead, so a heartbeat doesn't mean the embryo is alive. (46:00) Meme: If you think abortion is wrong, don't get an abortion. (52:00) Mentioned on the Show:  The Matter of Life film Red Pen Logic – YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook Related Links: Pro-Life Crash Course by Amy Hall Does the Bible Teach That Life Begins at First Breath? by Tim Barnett Does Human Life Begin When We Take Our First Breath? by Amy Hall Fetal Personhood: It's Simple by Greg Koukl Does the Fertility Clinic Illustration Disprove the Value of Human Embryos? by Greg Koukl Toddlers or Embryos: Which Would You Save? by Tim Barnett (Red Pen Logic)

Dr. Maureen Condic, Associate Professor of Neurobiology at the University of Utah School of Medicine, discusses (1) how science demonstrates that human life begins at conception, and (2) how recent scientific advances indicate that preborn children may exhibit consciousness, and experience pain, earlier than previously thought. Podcast resources: Maureen L. Condic, Untangling Twinning: What Science Tells Us About the Nature of Human Embryos https://undpress.nd.edu/9780268107055/untangling-twinning/ Brief of Maureen L. Condic and the Charlotte Lozier Institute as Amici Curiae Supporting Petitioners https://s27589.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/CLI-Dobbs-Amicus-Brief.pdf Maureen Condic, The Suffering of the Unborn https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2021/11/29/the-suffering-of-the-unborn/ Maureen Condic, A Scientific View Of When Life Begins https://s27589.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/On-Point-Scientific-View-of-When-Life-Begins-Condic-2014.pdf How It Started/How It's Going demonstrating the difference between 1965 ultrasound and modern 4D ultrasound: https://twitter.com/LozierInstitute/status/1456335298812649475 Charlotte Lozier Institute video, The Voyage of Life https://lozierinstitute.org/voyage/

It's May 12, 2021. It's National Limerick Day! BoxerBlu and Bram are in Chicago and they teach us about Orthodox Jewish women who are EMTs, a London Underground mosquito, making art with stained glass, and the death of Peter Warner

New scientific guidelines have been released this week on embryo research and the use of stem cells. We talk to experts about what's changed – including a recommendation to relax the 14-day time limit for human embryo research. And we hear about a wave of romantic comedy films emerging from South Africa that are re-imagining the city of Johannesburg. Welcome to episode 17 of The Conversation Weekly. It's been five years since the last set of guidelines from the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) were published. Since then, scientists have made significant developments in stem cell and embryo research. Now, new ISSCR guidelines have just been published. In this episode, we look at what's changing in this field of research, and what the new guidelines say. One of the most significant shifts concerns what's called the 14-day rule, a time limit for how long human embryos can be grown in the lab. While these aren't law, they guide the regulations about this kind of research in countries around the world. We hear from Megan Munsie, deputy director for the Centre for Stem Cell Systems at the University of Melbourne and one of the scientists who sat on the panel that reviewed the guidelines about what's changed. Jun Wu, assistant professor in molecular biology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre, explains his new research on human embryo models and why it provides an alternative to using human embryos. And César Palacios-González, senior research fellow in practical ethics at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford, talks through some of the questions philosophers consider about the ethics of human embryo research. In our second story (at 25m20), we head to South Africa, where a wave of romantic comedies have hit the big screen in recent years. Many of them are based in Johannesburg. Pier Paolo Frassinelli, professor of communication and media studies at the University of Johannesburg, talks to us about his research into these films and how they are reimagining the city.And Wale Fatade, commissioning editor at The Conversation in Lagos, Nigeria, gives us his recommended reading. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Special thanks for this episode go to Matt Williams in New York. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. If you'd like to sign up for The Conversation's free daily newsletter, please subscribe here. To get in touch, find us on Twitter @TC_Audio or on Instagram at theconversationdotcom. Or you can email us on podcast@theconversation.com. Full credits for this episode can be found here. Further reading:New global guidelines for stem cell research aim to drive discussions, not lay down the law, by Megan Munsie, The University of Melbourne and Melissa Little, Murdoch Children's Research InstituteResearchers have grown ‘human embryos' from skin cells. What does that mean, and is it ethical? by Megan Munsie, The University of Melbourne and Helen Abud, Monash UniversityFirst human-monkey embryos created – a small step towards a huge ethical problem, by Julian Savulescu, University of Oxford and César Palacios-González, University of OxfordSouth Africa's romcom revolution and how it reimagines Joburg, by Pier Paolo Frassinelli, University of JohannesburgEthiopia's blockchain deal is a watershed moment – for the technology, and for Africa, by Iwa Salami, University of East LondonWhy young Nigerians are returning to masquerade rituals, even in a Christian community, by Kingsley Ikechukwu Uwaegbute, University of Nigeria See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

DOCUMENTATION AND ADDITIONAL READING PART 1 (0:0 - 9:53): ────────────────── Huge Moral Questions Raised by a Heartbreaking Story about IVF Technology: Recognizing the Moral Significance of Every Single Human Embryo NEW YORK TIMES (KATHERINE ROSMAN) The Lost Embryos PART 2 (9:54 - 16:53): ────────────────── The Wild, Wild West of Reproductive Technology: Why Is American Society So Unconcerned about the Wanton Destruction of Human Embryos? PART 3 (16:54 - 24:35): ────────────────── A Custody Battle Over a Dog? A Turtle? An Iguana? Welcome to Divorce in the 21st Century — Confusing the Categorical Distinctions Between Humans and Animals PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS (ELAINE S. POVICH) Doggie Divorce: Who Gets the Pet When Couples Split? PART 4 (24:36 - 28:46): ────────────────── Former Vice President and Minnesota Senator, Walter F. Mondale, Dies at 93: Remembering a Bygone Era of American Politics

The Large Hadron Collider might, just might, have found something that challenges the Standard Model of particle physics. The team hears why an anomaly concerning a quark could hint at a crack in our understanding of physics. They also find out whether the age-defying, rejuvenating properties of human embryos can help us reset the ageing process in adults. As the Perseverance rover has been on Mars for a month now, there is of course more news from our neighbouring planet, namely new recordings from the surface to listen to, and the upcoming launch of the Ingenuity helicopter. Also on the pod is the worrying story of vaccine hesitancy in the EU, and the team celebrates a microbe unlike anything seen before. On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Tiffany O’Callaghan, Layal Liverpool, Richard Webb, Chelsea Whyte and Leah Crane. To read more about the stories, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts. Perseverance audio credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

This week on the show Stu explains the actual research behind the headlines claiming that "scientists have cloned a human embryo" and why it isn't exactly what it seems. And Chris takes us into space to reveal the mystery behind our strangest pancake comet-like interstellar visitor 'Oumuamua!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Living models of human embryos have been grown from skin cells by Melbourne scientists in a breakthrough set to revolutionise medical science.  More than 17,000 parking fines could be refunded after more Victorian councils were identified as acting illegally when they outsourced internal reviews of infringements.  The AFL is hoping for a ­capacity MCG crowd for Anzac Day as it plans to meet with the Victorian government on Monday to review strict spectator caps.  Clubs could lose premiership points and draft picks if found to be rorting the AFL's new medical substitute rule.  For updates and breaking news throughout the day take out a subscription at heraldsun.com.au.     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeffrey Smith gives us an overview of the disasters of the CRISPR gene editing tool that have come to light recently.  An up to date report came out about a completely botched attempt to genetically engineer human embryos.  The report stated that the edited embryos contained contained major unintended edits, deletions, additions or scrambling of the DNA.   To stay up to date on the dangers of GMOS and pesticides be sure to visit our website at https://www.responsibletechnology.org/ Support our efforts to protect nature and end the destruction of our planet by donating generously.

A human embryo editing experiment gone wrong

A human embryo editing experiment gone wrong

This week, events have forced another "greatest hits" episode, and so we bring you for your convenience the entire Maureen Condic interview from the June 2019 Society of Catholic Scientists meeting in a one hour and forty-five minute extravaganza. The following are Bill's liner notes from the first run episodes. University of Utah’s information page for Dr. Maureen Condic. She is an Associate Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy, with an adjunct appointment in Pediatrics. Her research focuses on the role of stem cells in development and regeneration. She has taught human embryology in the University’s Medical School for 20 years. See Dr. Condic’s biographical summary in the list of speakers at the Society of Catholic Scientists 2019 conference titled, “What Does It Mean to Be Human?” At the conference, this embryologist and specialist in developmental neurobiology delivered the St. Albert Award Lecture: “Human Beings are Defined by Organization.” Dr. Condic is the 2019 recipient of the St. Albert Award, named for Saint Albert the Great, the Catholic Church’s patron saint of natural scientists. The award is given annually to a Catholic scientist whose life and work give witness to the harmony that exists between the vocation of scientist and the life of faith. See more details about the award, including its previous recipients. Dr. Condic’s previous awards include the Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Research Award, created in 1973 and presented by the March of Dimes to support a young scientist’s promising new research. The March of Dimes was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, initially to fight polio. Today, the foundation focuses on health problems in babies, especially premature birth, birth defects, and low birth weight. Find context for the program of research support here. Dr. Condic also has been the recipient of a Scholar Award for research from the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience. In 2018, she was appointed to the National Science Board. The NSB establishes the policies of the National Science Foundation and serves as advisor to Congress and the President. She is a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, which is dedicated to promoting the Catholic Church’s consistent life ethic and supporting research in bioethics and moral theology. When confronted with alternative views and occasionally accused of being “brainwashed” with a pro-life stance, Dr. Condic says one must ask, what view actually makes more sense of the world? A quote from the episode: “What vision of the world actually accounts for most of the data? In my experience, it’s a Christian vision of the world, and particularly a Catholic vision of the world, that very much endorses precisely the kind of questioning mind that promotes scientific investigation….” Another key thought from the episode: The information generated in scientific disciplines is so huge, it forces many scientists to make their own fields of specialized inquiry “narrower and narrower.” Also, “they have no time” to give deep consideration to many big questions about life, the world, and the origin of the universe. “Particularly in biology, there’s such an intoxication with success.” Individuals who are indeed brilliant and making remarkable progress for people may become confident that they can answer all the important questions. Starting at about the 22-minute mark in this episode, Dr. Condic tells the story of an event that changed her life and produced her commitment to public advocacy and public education.“ She saw a need to combat ignorance or oversimplification about scientific advancements and to be “an advocate for patients and knowledge and factual information.” Dr. Condic also provides a valuable, clear update on parts of the debate about disease treatments using embryonic stem cells as opposed to adult stem cells, with research on the latter having resulted in a huge number of clinical trials and prospects for various treatments. A major new phase of the research has moved on to the use of induced pluripotent stem cells, which do not raise the same ethical issues as embryonic cells. In presenting the St. Albert Award during the Society of Catholic Scientists conference, president Stephen Barr, Ph.D., pointed out Dr. Condic’s “courageous public defense, on scientific and philosophical grounds, on the human status of human embryos.” Our discussion of totipotent, pluripotent, and plenipotent stem cells helped to clarify a complex subject of great importance to many people, such as those who suffer from diseases awaiting therapies capturing the power of these cells. Dr. Maureen Condic, as a pioneer in this field, contributed insights in 2013 by developing the concept of plenipotent cells. See her journal article. Our discussion also led to a sense of wonderment about the ability of cells to follow such complex paths of development, starting with the organism created when sperm and egg combine. The product and the process can easily be dismissed as a simple mass of cells, or one can recall Psalm 139:14, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” In this episode, we discussed how it seems viscerally sad that the amazement, which is itself so full of potential, can be lost in everyday discussions of human life. Related to this, Dr. Condic pointed out that there is an unfortunate lack of philosophical education among many scientists. Here is a blog post from Scientific American discussing synergies between science and philosophy—synergies which are at the core of this podcast’s mission. We discussed the relevance of the philosophical concepts of form and substance. Here’s a web page explaining those concepts. This book, written by Dr. Condic and her brother sounds like it is a rare and valuable synthesis of philosophical and biological insights about life: Human Embryos, Human Beings. She noted in our episode that such an extended, on-point synthesis is rare for various reasons, including the need to clarify vocabulary used on both sides of the dialogue, avoiding the risk that we will talk past each other. She has written another book, this one examining the biological and philosophical issues around human twinning, Untangling Twinning. It is scheduled for publication in the summer of 2019. For now, a computer search using this title yielded, as one of the first finds, a copy of a news release written by TSSM podcast co-host Bill Schmitt and posted at classicaltheism.com. The conversation involving Dr. Condic, Dr. Giesting and Schmitt turned to the complexities of the nation’s debate about abortion. That debate engages a mix of biological facts (which may or may not be probed in the full context of updated knowledge), personal experiences, and deeply held principles, positions, and emotions including authentic sympathy for the circumstances in which pregnant women find themselves. Although providing scientific insights is a crucial advancement of the debate because people deserve to have comprehensive information, the laying out of certain biological facts alone will not necessarily change minds, Condic said. In many cases, much of the public presentation of the abortion controversy dividing people is manufactured, but there is room for honest discussion on particular grounds. We each can play a part in adding to human understandings in this controversy. People evolve their judgments on the wide scope of the debate incrementally over time. But the search for a full overview is complicated; indeed, Dr. Condic referred to difficulties she and her brother Samuel Condic encountered (different vocabularies, etc.) in compiling their book Human Embryos, Human Beings. The book aims to bring together philosophical and biological insights about human life at its beginning. In short, the abortion debate requires us to spend more time in listening to each other, asking questions, probing the basis of people’s stances, and less time in simply lecturing, she said. Paul talked about his experience with identical twins in his family. Twinning is a complex arena for understanding “who you are,” raising core questions with biological and philosophical implications. Our discussion around the microphone extended to research on the topics of compaction and chimeras. Condic has written a book that delves into the complexities. Untangling Twinning is scheduled for publication this summer. There are also biological phenomena complicating an understanding of our human nature in sexual terms. There can be complex factors differentiating between one’s genetic sex and one’s hormonal sex, Condic said. A very small segment of the population has genetically compound sexual identities. Intersex disorders can occur in a variety of ways, although in the vast majority of cases questions of a person’s gender identity are not grounded in physical causes, Condic said. Studies in some areas raise questions within the LGBTQ community itself. Among many, endeavors focusing on a “gay gene” that would undergird a statement that “I was born this way” have been diminished by a view that gender identity is fluid or is driven by non-genetic factors.

We are excited to present this paper on CRISPR technologies following the holidays. Amid the new advances in CRISPR and gene editing techniques, this paper is a great introduction to some of the literature that is inspiring the research in labs around the world. You can find the full paper here https://www.nature.com/articles/nature23305?_ga=2.130646991.1501829565.1537833600-1889761642.1537833600.

Rita Lowery Gitchell is a defense litigator who speaks on and has authored several publications about the legal status of frozen human embryos. Her expertise has been called on by the Thomas More Society to help with several cases involving the personhood of human embryos, including several briefs on behalf of the American Association of prolife Obstetricians and Gynecologists, one of which was read by the US Supreme Court.

Scientist create a device that can mass produce human embryos --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ss219/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ss219/support

The conversation involving Dr. Condic, Dr. Giesting and Schmitt turned to the complexities of the nation’s debate about abortion. That debate engages a mix of biological facts (which may or may not be probed in the full context of updated knowledge), personal experiences, and deeply held principles, positions, and emotions including authentic sympathy for the circumstances in which pregnant women find themselves. Although providing scientific insights is a crucial advancement of the debate because people deserve to have comprehensive information, the laying out of certain biological facts alone will not necessarily change minds, Condic said. In many cases, much of the public presentation of the abortion controversy dividing people is manufactured, but there is room for honest discussion on particular grounds. We each can play a part in adding to human understandings in this controversy. People evolve their judgments on the wide scope of the debate incrementally over time. But the search for a full overview is complicated; indeed, Dr. Condic referred to difficulties she and her brother Samuel Condic encountered (different vocabularies, etc.) in compiling their book Human Embryos, Human Beings. The book aims to bring together philosophical and biological insights about human life at its beginning. In short, the abortion debate requires us to spend more time in listening to each other, asking questions, probing the basis of people’s stances, and less time in simply lecturing, she said. Paul talked about his experience with identical twins in his family. Twinning is a complex arena for understanding “who you are,” raising core questions with biological and philosophical implications. Our discussion around the microphone extended to research on the topics of compaction and chimeras. Condic has written a book that delves into the complexities. Untangling Twinning is scheduled for publication this summer. There are also biological phenomena complicating an understanding of our human nature in sexual terms. There can be complex factors differentiating between one’s genetic sex and one’s hormonal sex, Condic said. A very small segment of the population has genetically compound sexual identities. Intersex disorders can occur in a variety of ways, although in the vast majority of cases questions of a person’s gender identity are not grounded in physical causes, Condic said. Studies in some areas raise questions within the LGBTQ community itself. Among many, endeavors focusing on a “gay gene” that would undergird a statement that “I was born this way” have been diminished by a view that gender identity is fluid or is driven by non-genetic factors.

Our discussion of totipotent, pluripotent, and plenipotent stem cells helped to clarify a complex subject of great importance to many people, such as those who suffer from diseases awaiting therapies capturing the power of these cells. Dr. Maureen Condic, as a pioneer in this field, contributed insights in 2013 by developing the concept of plenipotent cells. See her journal article. Our discussion also led to a sense of wonderment about the ability of cells to follow such complex paths of development, starting with the organism created when sperm and egg combine. The product and the process can easily be dismissed as a simple mass of cells, or one can recall Psalm 139:14, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” In this episode, we discussed how it seems viscerally sad that the amazement, which is itself so full of potential, can be lost in everyday discussions of human life. Related to this, Dr. Condic pointed out that there is an unfortunate lack of philosophical education among many scientists. Here is a blog post from Scientific American discussing synergies between science and philosophy—synergies which are at the core of this podcast’s mission. We discussed the relevance of the philosophical concepts of form and substance. Here’s a web page explaining those concepts. This book, written by Dr. Condic and her brother sounds like it is a rare and valuable synthesis of philosophical and biological insights about life: Human Embryos, Human Beings. She noted in our episode that such an extended, on-point synthesis is rare for various reasons, including the need to clarify vocabulary used on both sides of the dialogue, avoiding the risk that we will talk past each other. She has written another book, this one examining the biological and philosophical issues around human twinning, Untangling Twinning. It is scheduled for publication in the summer of 2019. For now, a computer search using this title yielded, as one of the first finds, a copy of a news release written by TSSM podcast co-host Bill Schmitt and posted at classicaltheism.com.

A missing chunk of DNA, 32 base pairs long and smack in the middle of the CCR5 gene, might be the most studied mutation in human history. The spontaneous deletion, which arose thousands of years ago, has a striking relationship with one of the worst human diseases: HIV/AIDS. People who inherit this mutation from both of their parents are naturally immune. The only two people to have ever been cured both received bone marrow transplants from people who carry the Δ32 mutation.

Budget provides science a nudge Moratorium call on editing human embryos Energy used to produce wasted food in US could power whole countries Measuring the universe may lead to new physics, and new model of the universe Worldwide bird sightings collated at eBird Interactive experience for visitors at SF Exploratorium

Budget provides science a nudge Moratorium call on editing human embryos Energy used to produce wasted food in US could power whole countries Measuring the universe may lead to new physics, and new model of the universe Worldwide bird sightings collated at eBird Interactive experience for visitors at SF Exploratorium

Ethical Implications of Gene-Editing Human Embryos: Eijkholt and Fleck – Episode 13

Since stem cells were first cultured from human embryos in 1998, the ethical considerations surrounding this technology have been widely debated, leading to establishment of limits on how this research is conducted and funded. Learn more about these scientific advances, the implications of these discoveries for human health, and consider how ethical norms can best be integrated into research and practice. Series: "Exploring Ethics" [Humanities] [Show ID: 33712]

Since stem cells were first cultured from human embryos in 1998, the ethical considerations surrounding this technology have been widely debated, leading to establishment of limits on how this research is conducted and funded. Learn more about these scientific advances, the implications of these discoveries for human health, and consider how ethical norms can best be integrated into research and practice. Series: "Exploring Ethics" [Humanities] [Show ID: 33712]

The distant future of designer babies might not seem so distant after all. The last year has been full of news about genetic engineering—much of it driven by the the cut-and-paste technique called Crispr. And at the top of the list: news that Crispr could modify human embryos, correcting a relatively common, often deadly mutation.

Clinton and Nathan interview Dr. Maureen Condic, a neurobiologist who teaches at University of Utah, about human development, including some of the objections abortion-choice advocates occasionally raise against the science of embryology. Some of the objections discussed in this episode: -Human life doesn't begin until the brain is sufficiently developed. -Some embryos have the capacity to twin or recombine, so we can't say an individual human life begins before that point. -Human life doesn't begin at fertilization, it began thousands of years ago. So life is continuous. Be sure to check out this book by Dr. Condic, mentioned in the podcast: Human Embryos, Human Beings: A Scientific and Philosophical Approach (with Samuel B. Condic)

This episode features Dr. Benjamin Raby discussing a recent paper on correcting a pathogenic gene mutation in human embryos, and Dr. Martin Hirsch discussing testing for diagnosing influenza. Dr. Nancy Sokol hosts.

As scientists announce that they have used CRISPR technology to fix a faulty gene in a human embryo - not for the first time, but more accurately than ever before - we take a look at storing, writing and editing in DNA. Plus, our gene of the month is all ears. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Scientists have now successfully edited DNA in embryos to edit harmful genetic conditions. Are we playing God? Colourful conversation on social, economic and religious issues from a Christian worldview perspective. Mark and Pete: a businessman and a pastor. Listen on Flame Radio 1521MW in NW England and podcasts on iTunes. Website: markandpete.com Twitter: @markandpete

Scientists have now successfully edited DNA in embryos to edit harmful genetic conditions. Are we playing God? Colourful conversation on social, economic and religious issues from a Christian worldview perspective. Mark and Pete: a businessman and a pastor. Listen on Flame Radio 1521MW in NW England and podcasts on iTunes. Website: markandpete.com Twitter: @markandpete

Scientists using the CRISPR-Cas9 system made headlines last week for being the first to cleanly “fix” a mutation known to cause a heart disorder in regular human embryos. How did they accomplish such a feat and what does this mean for the future of genetic engineering?

Scientists have now successfully edited DNA in embryos to edit harmful genetic conditions. Are we playing God? Colourful conversation on social, economic and religious issues from a Christian worldview perspective. Mark and Pete: a businessman and a pastor.Listen on Flame Radio 1521MW in NW England and podcasts on iTunes.Website: markandpete.comTwitter: @markandpete

Scientists have now successfully edited DNA in embryos to edit harmful genetic conditions. Are we playing God? Colourful conversation on social, economic and religious issues from a Christian worldview perspective. Mark and Pete: a businessman and a pastor.Listen on Flame Radio 1521MW in NW England and podcasts on iTunes.Website: markandpete.comTwitter: @markandpete

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the heart condition that can lead to seemingly super-fit athletes collapsing with heart failure. It affects one in 500 people, and is a heritable disorder. Scientists using the precise gene-editing technique, Crispr CAS 9, have identified one of the genes responsible for the disease and 'fixed' it. This is in very early stage human embryos, prior to implantation. Dr. Fredrik Lanner at the Karolinska institute, is a leader in this field and he describes the work as purely at the experimental stages, but the team have managed to overcome various issues with the technique. Despite the obvious benefits of being an astronaut... exploring new worlds, seeing Earth from space, and of course the glory and fame, it can take a real toll on the body. Astronauts' skeletons and muscles deteriorate in zero gravity, their immune system weakens, and they experience nasal congestion and sleep disturbance. Many symptoms persists once they're back on Earth. But, there's another to add to the list, space flight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome or SANS. Ophthalmologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, Dr Andrew Lee explains that the build-up of fluid in the brain can squeeze the eye and optic nerve and lead to visual disturbance and even vision loss. The shortlist for the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize 2017 has just been announced. Adam pesters judge Claudia Hammond for the name of the winner (she doesn't tell!) and discusses the criteria for this £25,000 prestigious award. The top 6 books will be featured over the next 6 weeks on BBC Inside Science. Sexual selection - who you decide to have babies with - is usually decided at the dating stage. But the choice does not have to stop at copulation. Post-mating sexual selection is a thing. Mechanisms such as sperm competition, and cryptic female choice, can happen after sex, but before the sperm fertilises the egg. It's not just an internal thing either, it happens in 'external fertilizers', where eggs are laid, and then fertilized by the male sperm outside the female's body, like come fish do in water. Professor Neil Gemmell, at the University of Otago in Dunedin in New Zealand, has been studying just such processes in Chinook salmon. His findings are surprising and could inform us about human reproduction and fertility. Produced by Fiona Roberts.

In a major advance in the field of embryology, scientists this week have kept human embryos alive in petri dishes for record amounts of time. The legal limit for keeping fertilised human embryos in the lab is 14 days, a cut-off point set in 1979. Back then, scientists were able to keep embryos alive for only a few days, meaning the limit was only a theoretical one. Advances mean that this week, in 2 papers, researchers have reached that limit. Professor Ali Brivanlou, Robert and Harriet Heilbrunn Professor of Stem Cell biology and molecular embryology at Rockefeller University is lead author on one of the papers, and Professor Bobbie Farsides is a clinical and biomedical ethicist at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. They join Adam to discuss the next steps for embryology. Should this limit curtail research? Next Monday is the transit of Mercury. 13 times a century, Mercury passes directly between us and the Sun, and creates a pinprick shadow, a pixel of black for about 8 hours. This strange planet has no atmosphere, but a lot explosive volcanic activity. It has an eccentric orbit - meaning its distance from the sun fluctuates wildly. A Mercury year is 88 Earth days, but a Mercury day lasts almost two mercury years. David Rothery is a professor of Planetary Sciences at the Open University. He reveals how scientists study this planet and explains how, and how not to view the transit of Mercury. Overfishing is one of the biggest threats to the health of our oceans. According to the UN, up to a third of the world's fisheries are overexploited or depleted. It is a huge complex problem with many inputs and outputs to compute. So who better to tackle it than a team of hackers? Recently, coders around the globe gathered to take on the challenge, in a 48-hour Fishackathon. Reporter Anand Jagatia went along and reports back to Adam Most dog lovers will know that Labradors are particularly keen to eat anything, all the time, at any time. As a result, some are a bit corpulent, even obese. The cause is likely to be in their genes. A new study in the current issue of Cell Metabolism has identified that genetic basis for the perpetual hunger. Eleanor Raffan from Cambridge University, geneticist and vet, led the study. She explains to Adam how she gathered a cohort of dogs.

This week, a British researcher got the green light to genetically modify human embryos - this is the first time that gene editing has been approved in embryos. However, it hasn't been met with open arms by everyone, with some arguing this is the first step to 'designer babies.' Graihagh Jackson spoke to Geneticist Andrew Wood to find out what exactly gene editing involves... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

This week, a British researcher got the green light to genetically modify human embryos - this is the first time that gene editing has been approved in embryos. However, it hasn't been met with open arms by everyone, with some arguing this is the first step to 'designer babies.' Graihagh Jackson spoke to Geneticist Andrew Wood to find out what exactly gene editing involves... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Every one of us started out as an embryo, but only a few early embryos – about one in three – grow into a baby. Researchers are unlocking the mysteries of our embryonic clock and helping patients who are struggling to get pregnant. SUBSCRIBE: http://goo.gl/8NwXqt

Scientists from China have recently published research on their attempts to genetically modify human embryos. What exactly did they do and why is it causing such a stir? Find the show notes for this episode on http://synapsescience.com Thanks for tuning in! The Synapse Science Podcast is a science communication show created and produced by Alexa Erdogan. Find her on Twitter @neurostellar. --- Music used in this episode (in order of appearance): "Cold Funk" // "Space 1990-B" // All music tracks are attributed to Kevin MacLeod and are licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ All audio clips added to the podcast are used for nonprofit, educational purposes.

--{ Hollywood Trending to Get Culture Bending: "It Would Seem The Agenda's Right on Track, Have a Glance Around, There's No Going Back, For Men Turned Meek and Women are Wild, Television Gives New Culture to the Child, At One Time Men Rebelled, had Fights, Now They're Silent, Women Demand the Rights, Hollywood Admits to the Power of Photography, As They Also Churned Out Lots of Pornography, Now it's Mainstream Promoting Bisexuality, Behaviourists Involved, Shaping our Versatility, Flexisexuality for Females, New Celebrity Trend, Will Drive More Women Around the Bend, A Trend is Created, it Rises and Falls, Science Silenced Men, Now Women have Balls" © Alan Watt }-- Media and Entertainment to Manage the Public - Charles Galton Darwin's "The Next Million Years", Bioengineering, Creating a More Sophisticated Form of Slavery - Society Controlled by Money and "Science" of Economics - Bankers Allowed to Plunder Legally - Police Power to Shut Down "Criminal" Websites, Everyone a Suspect - Authorized Culture Promoted from the Top Down for Public to Emulate - Mandate of Population Reduction - Media Promotion of "Flexisexuals" - Aggressive Females on the Rise - Methods of Depopulation - Sterilization by Free Tetanus Shots - Polio Outbreak in Nigeria after Polio Vaccinations - Mass Sterilization of Peruvian Women - Albert Pike and Mazzini - Victor Rothschild (Head of British Intelligence) - Set-up of a "British Fortress" in the Middle East. Bar-coded Human Embryos. Mobile X-Ray Vans for U.S.. (See http://www.cuttingthroughthematrix.com for article links.) *Title/Poem and Dialogue Copyrighted Alan Watt - Nov. 29, 2010 (Exempting Music, Literary Quotes, and Callers' Comments)