Touchpoint 1
Scientists reveal how our cells’ leaky batteries are making us sick
What is it?
Mitochondria can leak which might trigger an immune response that is not needed. This can in turn lead to inflammation which is not good for health.
Potential message to students:
Do students think our immune response system was built for decades ago and has not evolved to handle all the new foods and pollutants in our world. Do they think the immune system is working too hard, even when it’s not needed or good for health?
Touchpoint 2
Ethnicity Affects Cancer Risk from Smoking, Epigenetics Shows
What is it?
Black Americans and Latinos who smoke may have a higher risk of developing cancer. Scientists believe there are 408 sites on the genome that are effected by smoking.
Potential message to students:
Do you think the genome is different for different races and ethnicities? If so, do you think the same disease can impact races differently? Do you think 2,728 people is enough to study to draw any conclusions?
Touchpoint 3
An evolutionary mystery 125 million years in the making
What is it?
Scientists have been working on a way to make better food crops by modifying genes. If they genetically engineer a tomato plant, they expect the same results in every plant. But each plant with the modified gene can grow differently. They think the tomato’s regulatory system is deciding how the genes are used.
Potential message to students:
Genes are not everything. Other parts of a plant will decide how these genes are used. Why do you think this is the case? Do you think the plant’s regulatory system is there to insure plant diversity?