19 – 25 December 2016
Brace yourself for new mosquito-borne disease
Karachiites may have yet another disease to look out for — chikungunya.The first case of the new viral disease reportedly surfaced at a government hospital in Malir’s Khokhrapar area. The symptoms reported are high fever and acute joint pain. Find source
From AI to protein folding: Breakthroughs of the Year
These nine scientific developments or advancements made the final cut as Science’s editors and writers deliberated over the choice of Breakthrough of the Year. They are listed in no particular order of achievement. Find source
‘Gene drive’ moratorium shot down at UN biodiversity meeting
World governments at a United Nations biodiversity meeting this week rejected calls for a global moratorium on gene drives, a technology that can rapidly spread modified genes through populations and could be used to engineer entire species. Find source
Why humans develop sex cells as embryos
Animals and plants prepare their cells for sex in very different ways — but no one knows why. A team of UK researchers now thinks that it has worked out the puzzle. Find source
Mad cow disease remains a threat. New blood tests could detect it
The “mad cow disease” epidemic that killed more than 200 people in Europe peaked more than a decade ago, but the threat it poses is still real. Find source
