So I recently just put my bare hands into a tub of this on accident! Anyone that will take a Biology or Genetics Lab will probably come across this chemical.

Use: To detect nucleic acids in agarose gel's during electrophoresis.

Hazard: MUTAGEN!! when ethidium bromide makes its way into your cell it can slip in between your base pairs of DNA and affect replication and transcription .

For more information http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Ethidium_bromide

-K.B.-

The art of fingerprinting has been around since the early 1900's. To this day we still use Francis Glaton's (one of the first to discover) methods of dusting, reading, and comparing. However a new type of fingerprint is being researched for forensic use. As you know we all have millions of bacteria covering our body at any one time. It turn out this bacteria is unique to our own bodies and can be used to match people and create class evidence. Full story
-K.B.-

Maybe superman wore one of these under his costume. This new breakthrough is a boron layered shirt that can stop a speeding bullet. This is done by dipping a t-shirt into a boron solution, then heating it in an oven at more than 1000C. What happens is the cotton fibers change into carbon fibers.The carbon fibers react with the boron solution and produce boron carbide - the same material used to make bulletproof plates in armored vests. The material is incredibly strong and flexible enough that it can be worn. It can also block ultraviolet rays, and possibly life-threatening neutron. Don't worry this won't be the last time you hear about this new boron coating technique. If they could do this to a t-shirt just imagine the possibilities.



For more information on this:
http://www.news.com.au/technology/boron-treated-wal-mart-t-shirt-can-stop-speeding-bullet-says-scientist/story-e6frfro0-1225852806454

-MF

Finally a major step in recovery after a major injury has been removed. A new method of biodegradable screws has been created in order to help with injury recovery. This new screw encourages bone growth, so that a hole is not left in the spot where the bone was and eliminates the need to have multiple surgeries in order to remove the screws once the ailment has healed.

The screws take two years to completely biodegrade and does not leave a hole in the bone, like previous biodegradable screws formed of polylactic acid. This is a great step in the right direction, now only if they could finally finish developing wooden bones.

For more information on this:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27083_3-10461572-247.html%253Ftag%253DnewsEditorsPicksArea.0

-MF

Yes is true we all have a little Sonic in us! After a lengthy discussion with my Genetics Professor there is in fact a gene we all used at one point called Sonic Hedgehog. Mostly dealing with the development of limbs, Brain, and spinal cord. However it has also been shown to linked to so forms of cancer. This posses the question is it rite to name a gene after a fictional character or just for fun. How will people feel when they are told their sick due to Sonic Hedgehog?
FULL LINK