According to doctors, Vincent Freeman was born with faulty genetics. His parents were notified that he had a high probability of developing a variety of disorders and, at best, would not live beyond his mid-30s. From an early age he “came to think of [himself] as others thought of [him]—chronically ill. Every skinned knee and runny nose was treated as if it were life-threatening.” Two years after Vincent was born, his parents decided to have a second child, Anton. Unlike his older brother, Anton was genetically superior: “a son [his] father considered worthy of his name.”
Read MoreCan Viruses be Beneficial?
When most people hear the word “virus,” a chill goes down their spine. Viruses are dreaded for their ability to knock us off our feet, and feared for their ability to kill us in our prime. Viruses are blamed for everything from a runny nose and a missed day of work to a pandemic that kills tens of thousands. Clearly, we should associate a negative connotation with this dastardly word, whose etymology links “virus” to snake venom and steaming poison, right? The answer may surprise you.
Read MoreThe Fate of Fat
With each January 1st comes the ritual of the “New Year Resolution:” the commitment, more or less strong, to modify one’s behavior in the incipient year, typically positively, and oftentimes to better oneself. The practice is not new: people as far back as the ancient Babylonians had their own version of New Year Resolutions. These days, Americans regularly rank weight loss among their top objectives, which doesn’t seem too surprising if you consider the rates of overweight/obesity, and the socially-sanctioned, year-end national exercise-in-gluttony that starts around the fourth Thursday in November.
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