Here You Go

ftp://ftp.ncbi.nih.gov/pub/TraceDB/Personal_Genomics

Here is the website that you can access Watson's and Ventner's genome. What will be bea able to do will all this information. I need to learn how to program computers.

Newest Oldest Life

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070807092049.htm

According to Science Daily, researchers have found the remains of life from 3.5 Billion years ago. I'm not one for religious experiences but for a young atheist scientist (me) I think this is pretty close to as good as it gets, " The core drilling samples from Western Australia's Pilbara region were collected by PhD student Lawrie Duck who said it was an amazing experience to "hold in your hands rocks that contain remains of some of the earliest forms of life on Earth."."

Point Science

Hows this for quarantine

I heard today from my boss that during the 1918 flu pandemic people in the northwest were so paranoid about keeping the flu out that they would shoot people coming into the area before they got to town. The first shot was to warn then they shot to kill. How nuts is that.

Something Interesting

A few weeks ago, James Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, had his entire genome sequenced and published. It cost somewhere around a million dollars and they did it in 2 months. This is way cheaper and shorter than the multi-year, multi-billion dollar project that was the human genome project and that was a short 6 years ago. In a short decade, (in all of our life times mind you) we will be able to sequence a persons genome in a afternoon for less than a thousand dollars. Also, if I read it right, I think Dr. Watson decided not to publish a gene region that is affiliated with Alzheimers because he presumably doesn't want the world to know if he is getting it or not. (On a side note, he spoke at the University of Washington this spring and seemed a bit crazy, like a guy whose gotten so much attention that he can say anything he wants and people will love him for it.) Anyways this all makes me think about a few questions,

1. If you can sequence your genome for $1000, whats to stop the insurance companies from wanting it before they write your policy?

2. Would it even be a problem if they did?

3. If you can make the data public would you?

4. Would your kids, grandkids, etc want you to? (Remember, you share half you DNA with your children.)

5. What about hypothetical rich garbage company that has easy access to your cells (in your garbage, ie tissues, hair, nail clipings, old socks, whatever you get the point) and alot of money to blow. Could you stop them if you wanted to?

Let me know what you think.

Silly

By putting in your birthday they put up your astrological sign, what crap. I sure don't follow that why would I want my sign on my blog. I do think that it is interesting that you can search for other bloggers that have similiar (why the fuck can't I spell similar) facts as you but I wish I could narrow it down more. I can look for researcher tech bloggers or Seattle bloggers but not Seattle research tech bloggers. Also, as I am writing this, who am I writing it to.

The First Post

I guess this isn't so hard. Now the whole world will know how bad I spell