Why not have a life?

Stem cell research on other worlds, or why embryos do not have a right to life.

Anxieties about the creation and destruction of human embryos for the purpose of scientific research on embryonic stem cells have given a new urgency to the question of whether embryos have moral rights. This article uses a thought experiment involving two possible worlds, somewhat removed from our own in the space of possibilities, to shed light on whether early embryos have such rights as a r...

Why do cicadas have prime life-spans?

You have probably heard the cicadas sing a lazy summer afternoon in the countryside. You may not be aware though, that cicadas spend most of their life underground, coming out only for about two weeks, during which they sing, reproduce and die. Most surprising in this respect are two species of cicadas that live in the Eastern and Southern United States. These cicadas spend respectively sevente...

Why Engineering Models Do Not Have

Why do we not have a cure for rheumatoid arthritis?

There are currently unprecedented opportunities to treat rheumatoid arthritis using well-designed, highly effective, targeted therapies. This will result in a substantial improvement in the outcome of this disorder for most affected individuals, if they can afford these therapies. Yet our lack of understanding of the basic mechanisms that initiate and sustain this disease remains a major obstac...

Why Should We Have a Periodic Safety and Performance Program for Medical Devices

Nowadays, more than 10,000 different types of medical devices can be found in hospitals.These devices used in medical centers and hospitals for monitoring and treatment of patients require periodic safety and performance checking in order to have confidence in their functioning and operation. Physicians need better accurate medical measurements in order to better diagnose diseases, monitor pati...