Your hosts this week are Levon Carmel, and Marc
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Although genetic manipulation has been known in science for some time, up until the past few years, it had been an extremely complex operation.
It required vast experience and knowledge by scientists and a slow, delicate, costly technology. And it was not particularly accurate.
Just a few years ago, this was totally and radically changed. A new technique called CRISPR CAS-9 was discovered.
Now cutting and pasting genetic material was vastly simpler, faster, cheaper, and more accurate. In addition, it did not require superior levels of knowledge and skill.
All this had scientists worried about the ethics of manipulating the human gene, and a major international conference was held this week in Washington to discuss the issues.
Marc spoke to University of Toronto ethicist Kerry Bowman
The United Nations has declared December 1st as World AIDS Awareness Day. In Canada there are about 75,000 people living with HIV-AIDS with a few new cases reported each day.
A recent survey revealed some interesting information about attituces and knowledge of HIV-AIDS in Canada. For example about half of high school teenagers thought AIDS could be cured by taking a pill.
Other information showed a majority are still very uncomfortable sharing space with people with AIDS. Most also feel its important that people reveal their HIV status before having sex. By the same token there is such stigma around HIV AIDS that many are reluctant to reveal that status.
Lynn spoke with Stephanie Rullo of the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research.
Another supply mission is set to head up to the International Space Station, and once again, Canadian presence is strong.
On board the supply rocket are two Canadian medical experiments dealing with the effects of space travel on the human body.
Not only that, but Canadian astronaut in training, David Saint-Jacques, is the CAPCOM- capsule communicator, coordinating information between the ISS and mission control
Levon spoke to him about the experiments, the supply mission and about various aspects of living for periods of time in space.
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