In biology, a chimera is a living organism composed of cells from two or more genetically distinct individuals. During pregnancy, a mother and her child can exchange cells, creating a microchimera, where both individuals contain cells from the other.
DNA tests showed she was not genetically related to her children, leading to suspicions of fraud. Further testing revealed she was a chimera, meaning different parts of her body had different DNA, including some that matched her children.
The ethical challenges include obtaining consent from the deceased's family, ensuring respect for the body, and navigating the lack of established regulations for such research. The goal is to avoid experimenting on living individuals while advancing organ transplant technology.
The pig kidney successfully filtered blood and produced urine for 77 hours, demonstrating its potential viability for future transplantation into living humans.
The Artemis program aims to establish a permanent moon base, a space station around the moon called Gateway, and eventually send humans to Mars by the late 2030s. It represents a significant step toward becoming a multi-planetary species.
Jiang's research suggests that with technological advancements and increased funding, faster propulsion systems could make it possible for humans to land on these distant moons within the next few decades.
Moon dust is extremely jagged and abrasive due to the lack of wind on the moon, making it difficult to manage and potentially damaging to equipment and spacesuits.
Jiang views the journey to Mars as an opportunity to contribute to humanity's survival and exploration of the void, even if it means leaving Earth, which he considers a paradise.
The wildest stories that never made it into our episodes. Until now.
Guests: Amy Boddy), anthropological scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara; Jayme Locke), transplant surgeon at the University of Alabama at Birmingham; Jonathan Jiang), research scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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