The Magic of Modern Science
Scientists Like Magicians
Anyone who has been lucky enough to work in a scientific environment knows that scientists are often like magicians. Pouring over their scientific projects with intensity, the end result is to create or change that which has been a mystery.
The Great World of Science
When one considers the significant changes to the science of modern medicine to cure most illnesses, the rapid phases of discovery by scientists amazes much the way a magician amazes his audience with what appears to be feats of magic.
Science Unlocks The Key to the Unknown
With so many science disciplines, the number of scientific discoveries since the dawn of time from Ptolemy, to Curie to Einstein and Hawking, science proves time and again the ability to advance the human mind and understanding of the universe. The world grows ever more larger thanks to scientific discoveries.
Man Has To Know What’s Possible
The curiosity of man has brought about breakthroughs in genetics to the extent that DNA testing is now used regularly as a means of detecting various congenital diseases passed down from one generation to the next. In addition, DNA testing has also been extraordinarily helpful in law enforcement to determine guilt or innocence in the commission of a crime.
Pregnant women can now take full advantage of embryonic testing to determine predisposition to illness in the unborn. Carbon dating is another means of scientific discovery that puts time in a whole new dimension. It’s now possible to know with amazing accuracy the age of various materials.
Science and Machines
The medical world has made use of numerous machines of detection from X-rays to Mammography and Thermal photography that can pinpoint the exact location of a tumor. With the advent of computers, the number of invasive surgeries has been reduced as a result of laser technologies. But, it doesn’t stop there.
Science has developed machines that identify voices, fingerprints, even the retina of the human eye. Telescopes in astronomy have been developed that see objects millions of miles from the earth. Science advanced the use of robots to allow for spacecraft to function with the same capacity as an astronaut gathering data on the moon or Mars.
Robots also have replaced humans in dangerous workplaces where intense heat or exposure to radiation might have a serious impact. Robots are also used in many hospitals as delivery ships from the pharmacy to nursing stations savings thousands of extra steps and wear and tear on the nursing staff. Robotic devices clean swimming pools and vacuum the living room, all without any human interface.
Science has even created devices allow the deaf to hear and the blind to see. When it comes down to it, there is no longer any “fiction” to “science”. The science fiction world of yesterday is the science world of today. The world laughed when Flash Gordon flew his “spaceship” to Mars. No one laughed when a man landed on the moon or unmanned spacecraft orbited around the sun just like the rest of the planets.
By: Ajeet Khurana
Posts Tagged ‘Dna Testing’
Gearing Up With Modern Science
December 26th, 2009Dna in Forensic Science
December 13th, 2009Since the introduction of DNA testing as evidence in 1990, criminal justice system has been improved but mistakes and human errors have downplayed the effectiveness of the technology.
This DNA forensic has undeniably helped in solving tough cases and yet, public awareness of the information is only surface touching depth.
Forensic identification tests can link the DNA segments to each individuals existing.
Examples of DNA uses in the field include identification of potential suspects whose DNA maybe match leftovers at crime scenes, establishment of paternity and family relationships of victims whom could not be recognized based on their outlooks and matching organ donors with recipients in transplant programs.
The selected interesting cases of DNA forensic identification involve the DNA Shoah Project, identification of the 911 and South East Asia 2004 Tsunami victims and others.
There have been two main types of forensic DNA testing. They are often called; RFLP and PCR based testing, although these terms are not very descriptive.
Generally, RFLP testing requires larger amounts of DNA and the DNA must be under graded. Crime-scene evidence that is old or that is present in small amounts is often unsuitable for RFLP testing.
Warm moist conditions may accelerate DNA degradation rendering it unsuitable for RFLP in a relatively short period of time.
PCR-based testing often requires less DNA than RFLP testing and the DNA may be partially degraded, more so than is the case with RFLP. However, PCR still has sample size and degradation limitations that sometimes may be under-appreciated.
PCR-based tests are also extremely sensitive to contaminating DNA at the crime scene and within the test laboratory.
During PCR, contaminants may be amplified up to a billion times their original concentration. Contamination can influence PCR results, particularly in the absence of proper handling techniques and proper controls for contamination.
PCR is less direct and somewhat more prone to error than RFLP. However, PCR has tended to replace RFLP in forensic testing primarily because PCR based tests are faster and more sensitive.
Science cannot yet provide conclusive results on genetics and behavior. Discovering more about ourselves to the basic components can reveal much more about us.
Blood group, originality, race, allergies, genetic dominance and other elements just showed that we are fascinating creatures to exist on earth.
