News Around World

Eight months down the road after approving a law to allow genetically modified crops and stem cell research, Brazil has finally shown signs of its enactment. The controversial law was passed in March this year, but the debate on how to implement it had caused much delay in its enactment. Some key issues included the role of the National Biosafety Technical Commission (CTNBio).

 

With the use of super strains of rice during planting, it is surmised that yields may be increased by two-fold which may allow the Chinese people to not only solve their food problems, but also help other developing nations. Yuan Longping, also know as the Father of Super Rice, announced the successes of the first two phases of the breeding projects.

 
New hope for the paralysed

A revolutionary form of surgery will one day see the paralysed walking again. Headed by neurosurgeon Dr. Geoffrey Raisman, head of the spinal repair unit of University London, the technique will attempt to repair severed nerves of young people with cells from the nose lining. The procedure which will commence human trials next year will first be attempted on common motorcycle injuries where nerves in the arm are pulled.

 
Biofuel movement gaining momentum

There is a revolution happening around the world, but it occurs silently and gaining in strength and speed. The push for biofuels have never been stronger and with soaring petrol prices, it is pretty obvious for the consumers why. Fuels such as biodiesel are renewable and can be made from agricultural byproducts like palm oil, soy and sugar cane. In fact, in Rio de Janeiro, petrol costs 70% more at the pumps than the biofuel derived from sugar cane.