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A journal article published in Scientific Reports reporting on GM mosquito campaign launched in Brazil and designed to decrease mosquito populations by spawning offspring that soon die. Unfortunately, according to the authors, the strategy is far from successful. In fact, it’s resulted in unforeseen consequences. “According to a genetic analysis of mosquitoes in the area, it appears the engineered stock has bred with wild mosquitoes and created viable, hybrid insects,” the Scientist magazine reports. The company responsible for the GM mosquitos and the campaign have taken exception to the study however. Meanwhile, the editors at Scientific Reports are reviewing the study’s assertions. http://bit.ly/2O7w5Xq
American sanctions are taking a toll on the Iranian scientific community and its ability to carry out basic research. Travel bans have made it impossible for scientists to attend conferences and conduct collaborations. Financial restrictions have made it extremely difficult to publish in international journals. Libraries cannot even pay for their subscriptions even though they have the funds to do so. http://bit.ly/306PUFs
There are reports that the ridiculously popular Chinese social media platform TikTok has been scrubbing all content that has anything to do with the ongoing unrest in Hong Kong. How this is surprising to anyone boggles the mind. If platforms like Weibo and Baidu regularly censors content at the behest of the CCP, why wouldn’t TikTok? Because non-Chinese users find it great? http://bit.ly/2O7g4AD
Finally, the U.S. Navy has finally confirmed that the UFO videos released in the New York Times last year are, in fact, authentic. However, they didn’t speculate as to the nature of the flying objects. Teases. http://bit.ly/2O8Afy9
IMAGE SOURCE: Creative Commons