Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the brain that causes symptoms such as impaired motor control, tremors, rigidity, and difficulty with balance. The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease occur because of the death or impairment of neurons in the brain that control the production and release of the neurotransmitter dopamine. When the brain... Rest of Story
While humans typically gauge our environment in miles or kilometers, the scale of choice for researchers studying the world of atoms and molecules is the nanometer. Objects at the nanometer scale are too small for even high-powered microscopes to see--there are 25.4 million nanometers in one inch. A human hair is about 100,000 nanometers thick. The science of... Rest of Story
Of the scores of technologies that appear to have enormous potential with respect to medical applications, one of the most promising is the use of bionic implants. Some such implants are already widely used and are well known to the general public; the pacemaker, used to regulate the beating of the heart, was one of the first bionic devices to be commonly used. Perhaps the most publicized... Rest of Story
The debate over genetic research, particularly with respect to the use of human embryos and stem cell research, may soon become even more controversial and complex. Recent reports announced that British researchers have succeeded in combining cells from a human being with the egg cells taken from cows. And although researchers make assurances that... Rest of Story
