Gene therapy has been used to safely reverse the biological clock in middle-aged mice. Ines Momodu-Herrero investigates this new finding and its implications for aging control in people.
By Matthew Sutton This article was originally published in The Oxford Scientist Michaelmas Term 2021 edition, Change. Earth’s oceans are an immense and foreboding place. They occupy 71% of the surface area of the planet and have a total volume exceeding 1.3 billion cubic kilometres. Occupying every corner of every part of this gargantuan biome…
Grace Kirman explores how her choices and the environment alter her epigenetics to make her different from her twin sister.
A new study headed by palaeontological artist Gregory Paul proposes that the legendary Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex) may not be just one species—rather, it may be three different ones altogether. Isabelle Goddard investigates the finding and describes its impact on her field.
By Rhian Gruar This article was originally published in The Oxford Scientist Michaelmas Term 2021 edition, Change. On the 26 June 2000, President Bill Clinton announced the completion of the first draft of the Human Genome Project (HGP) to the world, ushering in a new age of scientific understanding. The HGP was a decade-long endeavour…
Does the technology behind predictive texts, facial recognition, and our social media feeds offer the solution to struggling global wildlife conservation efforts? Katie Jones investigates.
In recent years, the use of underwater microphones called hydrophones has allowed scientists to listen in on the underwater world in a non-invasive way. Passive acoustic monitoring has already been used in various biological studies, such as documenting the distribution and migration of whales and characterising the responses of fish to environmental changes.
By Giovanni Mussini This article was originally published in The Oxford Scientist Michaelmas Term 2021 edition, Change. In one of the last and most accomplished of his works, Giacomo Leopardi, the 19th century giant of Italian poetry, turns to the natural world to ridicule le magnifiche sorti e progressive–the magnificent and progressive fates–of humanity: as…
With a relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions, which came into effect on the 24th February 2022, the UK Government no longer requires people to self-isolate if they test positive for COVID-19. Does this mean the pandemic is over in the UK? Rosie Pitcher investigates.
Ever since the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, genetic research has developed in leaps and bounds. However, despite genomics being at the forefront of the scientific field, it faces one major flaw; genetic research is too white.
