Don't Patent Human Genes, Scientific Awards And Letters From Fathers

Jun 14, 2013

Don't Patent Human Genes
In a unanimous vote the United State Supreme Court has said you may not patent human genes. The biotech company Myriad Genetics patented BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, the genes that have been found to be linked to breast and ovarian cancer. Dr. Mary-Claire King first found evidence of the existence of the BRCA 1 gene while working at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. King will explain what the Supreme Court’s decision means for the science and research community.   

Science News, It's Not Just Nobel Anymore
Many have heard of the Nobel Prize, but it is no longer the only big prize scientist receive. There has been a rise in scientific awards that come with a million dollar bonus. Science journalist Zeeya Merali explains how these new awards can benefit and hurt the scientific community.

Letters From Famous Fathers
What would you put in a letter to your son or daughter? How do you transcend the moment and pen words of advice or love that they can carry with them all their lives? Paul Stetler asked himself those question when he sat down to write a letter to his son. He was inspired by a letter his dad had written to him years ago. It became the subject of a new play Stetler has curated called "Dear Dad." The play features the intimate letters of famous American fathers, from John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan to John Steinbeck and Jackson Pollock.