Boobs for Science

Red Hair is not facing extinction

The hoax that says that the genes responsible for red hair is going to disappear comes from a misunderstanding about the workings of recessive genes. The news appeared on the Internet around 2007, when the Courier Mail published a piece saying that the Oxford Hair Foundation - financed by Procter & Gamble - had made an estimate of 50 years before the genes would disappear from our collective gene pool. Actually recessive genes do not disappear from our gene pool, they manifest themselves more scarcely than dominant genes, but are still transmitted to successive generations, unless all the carriers die or are prevented from reproduction. By the law of genetics they will reappear sooner or later, even if clearly in a smaller part of the population.

Red hair is caused by a mutation of the MC1R gene. This is a recessive gene, so it’s needed in both parents to have it manifest as a phenotype (the visible aspect of the body, opposed to the genotype, which is the full genetic code “saved” in all our cells). Being caused by a recessive gene, red hair can easily skip a generation and reappear when both parents have the gene, even if they don’t have red hair.

The following picture shows the Punnett Square, which is used in genetics to explain the transmission of dominant and recessive genes. 

Editing by Shevarash

http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/genetic/redhead-extinction.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/11/25/2428904.htm

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. (Aldous Huxley)

A few days ago the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control published its report on HIV infections and the emerging outlook is very far from what the common perception of the matter currently is. Despite the epidemic growth is slowing down,the number of new infections is still increasing, especially in Eastern Europe.

We are not still at the end of the epidemic phase as it’s believed, but we are still very far from eradicating the HIV virus from the Western world; let alone in developing countries where the situation is vastly different and more severe.

There are many precautions one can take and research progresses towards a possible cure, other than developing methods to keep AIDS symptoms in check. However, it is vital not to let our guards down, as it seems young people who were not exposed to prevention and awareness campaigns in the ‘90s are doing.

To this we have to add the madness of who, without any responsibility, spreads hoaxes and lies for political or financial interest, claiming HIV and AIDS are a conspiracy from the pharmaceutical industry and condom manufacturers. 

http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/hiv-aids-surveillance-report-Europe-2013.pdf

http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/progressreports/update2014-executive-summary/en/

Editing by: The Spooky

Tetanus is caused by a bacteria: the Clostridium tetani. This bacteria penetrates the skin barrier through open wounds, even scratches. Spores of the bacteria are usually found in dirt, feces or earth. Tetanus symptoms are shivers, sweating, headaches, severe stiffness and convulsions. It can cause severely damage the nervous system and its mortality can go up to 50%.

In 1940 the vaccination against tetanus was introduced into routine childhood immunization in the United States. After the 1940s the incidence rates declined steadily, from the 5-600 per year in 1940 to 18 in 2009. Recent studies have shown how nowadays almost all reported cases of tetanus are in persons who have either never been vaccinated, or who completed a primary series but have not had a booster in the preceding 10 years. http://www.who.int/immunization/diseases/MNTE_initiative/en/ http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/tetanus.pdf

Edited by: Shevarash

The Velociraptor (genera) was a carnivorous dinosaur existed in two main species (mongoliensis and osmolskae) approximately 75-71 million years ago, about the end of the Cretaceous Period. It was not as big as others species such as the Tyrannosaurus Rex. On the contrary, it was more similar to a huge turkey. Films such as Jurassic Park contributed to give us a twisted representation regarding the appearance of these reptiles, which could be direct ancestors of modern birds due to the thick plumage, skeletal structure and dimensions. More info by National Geographic on this link.

Editing by Roberto Leone

M.O.O.C.s (Massive Open Online Courses) are a valuable yet sadly underestimated e-learning resource, often overlooked by the layman. An easy and completely free subscription allows the user to choose from a wide and ever-expanding range of university courses offered by the most renowned universities in the world. Teachers regularly publish and make available video lectures as well as other study materials such as handouts and exercises. Certificates of attendance are free of charge, but those willing to obtain a verified certificate (i.e., official and valid for academic and work purposes) are usually required to pay a fee and take an actual examination via a dedicated verification system.

In several universities, M.O.O.C.s are progressively replacing frontal lecturing, even though many university teachers remain skeptical, convinced that direct and real-time exchange between teachers and students is one of the foundations for the effective comprehension of a subject.

The main M.O.O.C. platforms are US-based Cousera, Udacity, and edX. It’s also worth noting Iversity, the main Europe-based M.O.O.C. platform.

https://www.mooc-list.com/

Editing by Simone D’anastasio