The birds and the bees talk may need an upgrade soon. Scientists are working on ways to use blood and skin cells to replace sperm and eggs. So, will sex go by the wayside?
Karen Weintraub writes about the science behind these headlines in Scientific American. She says we are still years away from human babies being created with eggs and sperm. So far scientists have only created eggs out of skin cells from mice.
The idea of creating babies without parents will likely raise a number of ethical and cultural questions. Weintraub says the scientific studies are still in such early stages that they haven't begun to receive cultural scrutiny.
Jonathan Adler, Law Professor at Case Western Reserve University, joined Wake Up With Cheddar to discuss Tuesday's ruling and provide legal context to recent battles over vaccine mandates.
Carlo and Baker wrap up the week talking about the Biden economic boom that no one seems to notice, a verdict in the Jussie Smollett case, the first Starbucks union in America and the pleasures of the "dude nod."
Shelli Avenevoli, Ph.D., the deputy director for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), joined Cheddar to discuss concerns about the devastating impact the pandemic has had on the nation's youth. While mental health issues have been a point of concern for the populace at large, Avenevoli talked about how vulnerable young people have been during the COVID-19 crisis. "It's important to keep in mind, for children and adolescents, that the pandemic is occurring during a time of very formative development when social connection is vital for health and optimal function," she said. Avenevoli also noted broad political and social upheavals that have contributed to the issue but also things that can be done to help minors with their mental wellbeing.
Cheddar Innovates gets a look at the satellite that's searching for the earliest light from the big bang, plus a former Nike executive breaks down what the new era of sportswear looks like.
A packed Thursday pod: Carlo and Baker cover the latest developments in the Ghislaine Maxwell, Jussie Smollett and Elizabeth Holmes trials. Plus, Dems are losing the Hispanic vote, Boris Johnson in trouble again, and is it possible that Adele has peaked?
A mental health crisis among young people is looming, and a large part of it is online. Cheddar News speaks with digital policy expert Karen Kornbluh on the issue.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, faced withering questions on Capitol Hill about the reports the social media app was aware of the severe mental health impacts it was having on teenage girls. Karen Kornbluh, the director of digital innovation and democracy for the German Marshall Fund, joined Cheddar to discuss the rare show of bipartisan outrage on display at the Senate hearing. "The senators came really loaded for bear on both sides of the aisle," she said. Kornbluh explained how senators like Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) set up fake Instagram accounts with teen girl profiles in order to research the effects firsthand.
Back in 2010, several large companies pledged to work towards stopping deforestation by 2020. Companies like Nestle and Carrefour even went further to say that they would eliminate deforestation from their supply chains altogether. However, fast forward to 2020, many of these companies have failed to reach that goal. Associate Director of Forest at the CDP Nadia Bishai, joined Cheddar to discuss more.