How a Carnivorous Mushroom Poisons Its Prey (5 minute read)
Oyster mushrooms are carnivores, eating nematodes by using a poison that paralyzes them within minutes of contact. There are many mechanisms for delivering the poison, including hunter cells, harpoon cells, food traps, glue nets, and more. The poison targets calcium gates in the muscles, inducing a rigor mortis that results in death. Worms that lack genes for making cilia, antenna that the worms use for sensing their environment, can resist the poison, but they can't survive long in the wild. The poison is different from all current nematicides, and its effectiveness makes it intriguing for researchers.
The genetic mistakes that could shape our species (14 minute read)
Gene editing is not an exact science yet, with approximately 16 percent of genetically modified human embryos containing accidental mutations. In 2018, a Chinese scientist announced that they had genetically modified a set of twins to be more resistant to contracting HIV. Further studies have found that the twins did not receive the intended edits. Newer gene-editing techniques target specific organs, but it's still possible for the genome editors to accidentally travel to the reproductive organs. Many risks are still unknown.