October 4, 2013
The Journal of Medical Ethics (Volume 39, No. 10, October 2013) is now available online by subscription only. Articles include: “The active recruitment of health workers: a defence†by Javier S. Hidalgo “A plea for end-of-life discussions with patients suffering from … Read More
October 1, 2013
The Philosophers’ Magazine (Volume 2013, No. 62, 3rd Quarter 2013) is now available online by subscription only. Articles include: “Living on Google earth†by Luciano Floridi “Ethics in the supply chain†by Mohan Matthen “Hypocrisy and abortion†by Wendy M … Read More
October 1, 2013
AI & Society (Volume 28, No. 3, August 2013) is now available online by subscription only. Articles include: “Faust, Freud, machine: encounters and performance” by Karamjit S. Gill “Doctor Faustus in the twenty-first century” by Douglas Schuler “We Can Rebuild … Read More
September 27, 2013
Stem cell-enriched fat grafting could become central to plastic and reconstructive surgery after the first randomised trial in humans confirms the technique’s excellent feasibility and safety. (Medical Xpress)
September 19, 2013
Google is looking for the Fountain of Youth in its latest expansion beyond Internet search. The ambitious quest to reverse the aging process and extend human life will be pursued by a new company called Calico that is being financed … Read More
September 18, 2013
Acquiring a superpower usually requires a bite from a radioactive insect, an uncomfortable dose of cosmic radiation, or the discovery of extraterrestrial parentage, but scientist Michael McAlpine hopes to make the process as simple as purchasing aspirin at the pharmacy. … Read More
September 13, 2013
These questions are discussed in Michael Hauskeller’s new book, a philosophical exploration of the arguments surrounding human enhancement. Hauskeller is sceptical about the value of such aspirations. We know this even before Better Humans? begins, as his acknowledgements thank, among … Read More
August 28, 2013
Are humans doomed to a machine-like future of radically-enhanced lifespan and intelligence, but without the intangibles that have made our 200,000 year-old species so unique? Using technology to stave off Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or other neurological maladies is easy to justify. … Read More
August 22, 2013
A marine hydroid common off the coasts of Ireland and Britain has shown remarkable regeneration properties which effectively allow it to live forever, and researchers hope studying it will garner new revelations which can be applied to stem cell biology. … Read More
August 16, 2013
Gabby Williams has the facial features and skin of a newborn, and she is just as dependent. Her mother feeds, diapers and cradles her tiny frame as she did the day she was born. The little girl from Billings, Mont., … Read More
August 16, 2013
In an email interview with Subodh Varma, the 65-year-old Kurzweil throws light on the basics of Artificial Intelligence. (Times of India)
August 13, 2013
Much is made of the longevity revolution, and rightfully so. The average life expectancy in 1900 was 47 years. Today it is 78. This three-decade bonus has fundamentally altered the economy, politics, and society, while helping lay waste to pension … Read More
August 13, 2013
Lab-made organs could do more than just serve as ready options for patients in need: with the right blend of biology and materials science, they might even be able to endow people with superhuman abilities. (MIT Technology Review)
August 9, 2013
The number of young adults who end up in the emergency room after taking Adderall, Ritalin or other such stimulants has quadrupled in recent years, federal health officials said Thursday, fresh evidence of the unexpected consequences that can result from … Read More
August 8, 2013
Proponents of drug testing maintain that testing has identified enough cheaters to justify the practice, not to mention its value as a deterrent because athletes fear being tested for drugs at any time. Skeptics are less convinced, however, noting that … Read More
August 8, 2013
The exoskeleton fits around a person’s arm, picks up on the motion of the user’s hand and helps provide extra force to complete the movement. (BBC)
August 8, 2013
Still almost three-quarters of American predict that by 2050, “artificial arms and legs will perform better than natural ones.” A substantial majority also believe that by that point we’ll have cures for most forms of cancer. And fully 25 percent … Read More
August 7, 2013
In my column this week, “Computer-Brain Interfaces Making Big Leaps,†I noted that a number of researchers and scientists were coming closer to technology usually reserved for science fiction: hacking our brains to remove unwanted and sad memories. (New York … Read More
August 7, 2013
Ninety birthdays maybe, but not 120: Americans hope to stretch out life expectancy another decade or so, but they are ambivalent, even skeptical, about a fountain of youth. (AZ Central)
August 2, 2013
Patients who get facial plastic surgery often assume that they will look younger and more appealing afterward. But a new study, the first to try to quantify attractiveness after a face-lift, brow-lift or eyelid surgery, found only a tiny, insignificant … Read More
August 2, 2013
Superbaby was born around the turn of this century, in Berlin, emerging in a fit of twitches and shudders. Epilepsy, the doctors first thought, until one noticed that although Superbaby was roughly the size of any other newborn, his biceps … Read More
July 23, 2013
If you’re into skincare, chances are you’re also in a state of confusion. Because as exciting as new developments in anti-ageing are, if you want to get your head around what to use and why, you probably need to get … Read More
July 17, 2013
Under pressure from federal health regulators, the manufacturer of two popular sports supplements has voluntarily destroyed the inventory of the products, the Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday. (New York Times)
July 16, 2013
Is ageing a process that we simply have to accept as a fact of life? A philosopher would say yes. Many doctors would also agree: our cells eventually reach a point where they can no longer divide and either die … Read More
July 12, 2013
Cyborgs are gradually working their way into our lives. The general representation of a cyborg is that seen in science fiction films of a fusion between human and machine. (Science Daily)
