By Lauryn Doherty, guest contributor Canadians are living longer. In 1950, our average life expectancy was about 68 years; in 2023, it has risen to 83 years. Unfortunately, the human body becomes more susceptible to disease as it ages. Alzheimer’s disease is a particular concern because approximately 76,000 new cases are diagnosed in Canada every […]
biotechnology
How close are we to printing replacement body parts?
Erin Bedford, Technology and Engineering co-editor Three-dimensional (3D) printing, the technology used to turn a three-dimensional digital design into an object by depositing material one layer at a time, has taken off in recent years. It now seems like almost anything can be 3D printed – shoes, airplane parts, houses – so why not print […]
Is extinction really forever?
Robert Gooding-Townsend, Science in Society co-editor Can biotechnology bring back extinct species? If it can, should it? In her new book Rise of the Necrofauna, Britt Wray chronicles the nascent movement to bring back extinct species. She calls these resurrected creatures “necrofauna”, conjuring images of undead mammoths, passenger pigeons, and more. As compelling as the […]