It was going to happen sooner or later. A group of scientists in China claims that they have helped bring to life two genetically-edited babies. The goal was to modify the twin girls’ genes in order to prevent HIV infection and avoid AIDS. The scientists claim they were successful in this effort, according to reports in Associated Press and MIT Tech Review. The claims haven’t yet been independently verified. But if the researchers have really gone against internationally recognized voluntary guidelines and done what they say, both science and bioethics are now entering unchartered territory.

Cooling is a hugely important process in today's world. But how can cooling be carried out in future in a way that does not harm the climate and that helps to conserve natural resources? The approach taken by Professors Stefan Seelecke and Andreas Schütze from Saarland University focuses on systems that use shape memory materials, also known as 'metal muscles' or 'artificial muscles'. Working together with researchers in Bochum, they are developing a new method of cooling...

Metabolic engineering of yeast to incorporate plant and bacterial enzymes that construct and decorate morphine.