Patents, pigs and pastoralists
Patents and animal genetic resources make a controversial mix. There are many ethical questions that relate to the patenting of animal genes and whole organisms, genetically modified or not. Some of the most poignant are those addressed in a recent discussion paper published by the League for Pastoral Peoples and Endogenous Livestock Development, entitled ‘Patents…
The State of Britain’s Moth Species
The Moth Count Project was launched today by Sir David Attenborough. The project aims to involve thousands of volunteers in monitoring populations of moths through the National Moth Recording Scheme, which is expected to be the largest project of its kind in the world. The hope is that more detailed information will highlight locations where…
Rhubarb, Rhubarb, Rhubarb…
Spring comes & a young man’s fancy turns lightly to….RHUBARB….. if he’s a fair-weather gardener, that is. If he’s a true obsessive, he’s probably already harvested his first sticks! Mine are still fighting the battle with the slugs. Love it or hate it – you’ve got to admit its versatile and easy to grow. Now…
It’s sweet, but is it safe?
It’s sweet, but is it safe? As we reported this week on the In Brief and In Depth section of CABI’s nutrition and food sciences portal (‘FDA Refutes Aspartame Carcinogen Accusation‘, 25/04/07), the FDA has laid to rest accusations that aspartame is carcinogenic. It may not be ‘natural’, but it’s not dangerous. Laid to rest?…
And how would you like your flowers Madam?
Genetically modified? Yes, GM bouquets could be the future of floristry, with consumers demanding more choice in flower colour, Australian company Florigene are hoping to import and market their GM carnation Moonaqua™. The flower is the lightest shade in Florigene’s Moonseries range being pale lilac in colour, created by modifying genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis…
Cowpox, cats, smallpox and history.
It is 30 years since the last recorded case of naturally acquired smallpox. The eradication of this terrible disease which caused the deaths of hundreds of millions over the centuries, could raise the possibility that cowpox virus, which played an important part in the fight against smallpox, could be taking advantage of the removal of…
Pet Foods for Thought
More than a month since the major recall of dog and cat food in North America began, many key questions still remain unanswered. On 16 March, Menu Foods, Inc. initiated a North American recall of dog and cat foods, prompted by pet owner complaints and by its own testing. Since then, a growing list of…
Blood transfusion – never entirely safe.
This week an enquiry into the use of contaminated blood by the UK National Health Service opened (BBC story). The enquiry will examine the circumstances surrounding use of contaminated blood in the 1970s and 1980s by the NHS and the exposure of several thousand patients to HIV and hepatitis and their resultant deaths. The accusation…
1000 diseases mapped – a challenge is issued
Over at the Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog Jeremy decided to lay down a challenge to us here at CABI – make it possible to view the changes in distribution over time. We’d like to explain a little more about the history of the maps – we began publishing Distribution Maps of Plant Diseases in 1942 and…
Could it bee your mobile phone?
One serious cause of honey bee die-off in the US is Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). It leads to collapse of the hive often with complete absence of bees or only the queen and few other individuals remaining. A story in the Independent yesterday highlighted a theory that radiation given off by mobile phones and other…