Worldwide Web Watch
November 23, 2016 With greater emphasis placed on the role of genetics with regard to human disease, behavior, traits and so forth, there is a tendency to overlook external factors that interact with the genome and have an impact on how genes are expressed and function. In How Our Environment Affects Our Genes, Michael White […]
Wednesday Web Watch for December 3, 2014
This past June, a healthy baby boy was born in California. Not so unusual. What was unusual is that this baby’s entire genome was privately sequenced before his birth using a tissue sample, a high-speed DNA sequencing machine and free online software. In an article entitled For One Baby, Life Begins With Genome Revealed, published in […]
Tuesday Triple Trivia for November 18, 2014
3 Questions. 3 Hints. 3 Answers. Every Tuesday. 1. What technology, described as a “black box” for humans is headed to court? Hint: Answer: no, we are not talking about the personal injuries allegedly caused by wearing a Fitbit. Here we are talking about Fitbit data being used to support a personal injury claim. A […]
Wednesday Web Watch for August 6, 2014
Since last year’s Supreme Court holding that naturally occurring DNA cannot be patented (as distinct from synthetic DNA created in the laboratory), Myriad Genetics has been busy. First, suing a number of its competitors for patent infringement on patents that withstood the Supreme Court case. Second, with the announcement of its European expansion and emphasis […]
Tuesday Triple Trivia Tease for July 8, 2014
3 Questions. 3 Hints. 3 Answers. Every Tuesday. 1. What technology now provides some measure of control over our social media accounts? Hint: Answer: while we may not have comprehensive “right to be forgotten” legislation in effect in the U.S. we do have some limited options available to “control-alt-delete” embarrassing or hurtful things we may […]
Tuesday Triple Trivia Tease for June 17, 2014
3 Questions. 3 Hints. 3 Answers. Every Tuesday. 1. What recent approval by a federal agency has one technology realizing that the sky really is the limit”? Hint: Answer: the FAA has increased the authorized geographical movement of unmanned aircraft systems or “drones”. BP and AeroVironment Puma AE were recently given the go-ahead to conduct aerial […]
Tuesday Triple Trivia Tease for May 13, 2014
3 Questions. 3 Hints. 3 Answers. Every Tuesday. 1. What recent motion to marry, if affirmed, might have resulted in an iPhone, keyboard and GPS dressed up as bridesmaids? Hint: Answer: denied! A motion to marry a porn-filled laptop was recently denied by a judge in Florida. The motion was filed by a man protesting same-sex […]
Loblolly: the largest genome sequenced to date
Using a particular genetic cloning process, researchers have sequenced the complete genome of the commercially-valuable loblolly pine tree. With a single pollinated pine seed, researchers compiled “the largest genome ever sequenced: 22.18 billion base pairs, more than seven times longer than the human genome. The team found that 82% of the genome was made up […]
February Starbucks Challenge
Once a month. A Starbucks gift card. From us to you. Each month we present one to three new technologies with potential legal implications and ask: What’s YOUR answer? One $25 Starbucks gift card card awarded per challenge based on what we feel is the most judicious response to any one of the discussed technologies. […]
HorrorWorks Pictures Presents…Delivery Man
Pam and Annie Branum. In November 2013, Touchstone Pictures released a comedy-drama entitled Delivery Man. The movie is about a sperm donor who finds out he is the biological father of 533 children. Only a year or so prior to the movie’s release, mother and daughter, Pam and Annie Branum, underwent DNA testing through 23andMe […]