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.
Floodwaters receded in Vermont cities and towns pummeled by a storm that delivered two months of rain in two days, enabling people to focus Wednesday on recovering from a disaster that trapped residents in homes, closed roadways and choked streets and businesses with mud and debris.
Schools in New Delhi were forced to close Monday after heavy monsoon rains battered the Indian capital, with landslides and flash floods killing at least 15 people over the last three days. Farther north, the overflowing Beas River swept vehicles downstream as it flooded neighborhoods.
Even Southwestern desert residents accustomed to scorching summers are feeling the grip of an extreme heat wave smacking Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Southern California this week with 100-degree-plus temps and excessive heat warnings.
