Well all my exams are finished with, I was up at 7.30 this morning, went in to my exam and actually feel quite pleased with myself. There was a question I could answer, and even one I had done some extra reading about, just hope it gets spotted and I get given credit accordingly!
After I'd finished I persuaded Lex that I wanted to see fresh air and a view outside the city. We drove out to Burbage which was actually still surprisingly snowy. We had lots of snow at the beginning of the week but since then it has got steadily warmer. I did take my camera with me but discovered that all the batteries are dead! Doh!
I had lots of fun building a snowman and throwing snowballs at Lex and for a dog to chase. We didn't walk very far though, but it feels nice to have had cold clean fresh air on my face for a while. I'm off to work this afternoon as the person meant to be doing it is ill. I was going to have a day off, but Lex is still revising so I have nothing better to do. I'm back at work as usual tomorrow, which I'm not really looking forward to, but never mind.
Saturday, 27 January 2007
Biology and ethics
I'm in the middle of revising for my final exam until the summer. Well I say in the middle, but realistically I have 2 more hours of work before my brain goes to sleep, and then the exam is at 9am tomorrow morning, yikes!
Well so I can get away with writing this post I'd better add how much I've enjoyed this module. It's one of the parts of science that I love. Real world applications of pretty cool science, and thinking about how it impacts on us all, and whether we want this innovation!
The module covers everything from transplants, assisted reproductive technologies, genetic testing, cloning and intellectual property rights on biological innovations. Now if you're not interested in science you may find it quite boring, but this is all stuff that affects our everyday life.
Do you think we should do IVF?
And what should happen to the embryos not needed after treatment?
Where should we stop with transplants?
Are face transplants right?
What about switching off heart lung machines on brain dead patients?
Should insurers have the right to ask for results of genetic test?
Or ask you to have a test if there is a genetic disease in the family?
Should we create human clones to allow research?
Will we ever allowing cloning for reproductive purposes?
Should we allow people to produce designer babies?
What about if that baby is being created to save the life of a sibling?
How do you copyright a genetically cloned mice?
Should we allow multinational companies to copyright a food produced in a different area for centuries?
I find it all fascinating, and has really got me thinking about how peoples lives have changed in the last 30 years, I can't imagine life without IVF babies, and organ transplants. However both were hugely controversial when the first started, it's going to be interesting to see how peoples attitudes change over the next 30 years.
Well so I can get away with writing this post I'd better add how much I've enjoyed this module. It's one of the parts of science that I love. Real world applications of pretty cool science, and thinking about how it impacts on us all, and whether we want this innovation!
The module covers everything from transplants, assisted reproductive technologies, genetic testing, cloning and intellectual property rights on biological innovations. Now if you're not interested in science you may find it quite boring, but this is all stuff that affects our everyday life.
Do you think we should do IVF?
And what should happen to the embryos not needed after treatment?
Where should we stop with transplants?
Are face transplants right?
What about switching off heart lung machines on brain dead patients?
Should insurers have the right to ask for results of genetic test?
Or ask you to have a test if there is a genetic disease in the family?
Should we create human clones to allow research?
Will we ever allowing cloning for reproductive purposes?
Should we allow people to produce designer babies?
What about if that baby is being created to save the life of a sibling?
How do you copyright a genetically cloned mice?
Should we allow multinational companies to copyright a food produced in a different area for centuries?
I find it all fascinating, and has really got me thinking about how peoples lives have changed in the last 30 years, I can't imagine life without IVF babies, and organ transplants. However both were hugely controversial when the first started, it's going to be interesting to see how peoples attitudes change over the next 30 years.
Thursday, 25 January 2007
Why do I do this?
Ok I was just about to write a post when something happened that made me question why I actually write blog posts. We won't go in to details but it's really got me thinking. I mean it's not like I have one of those blogs where hundreds of people read what I write, I'm not entirely sure wether anyone reads it all. I never felt the need to keep a diary when I was younger either, writing my thoughts down has always been hard for me, hell just speaking them is near impossible.
I think I like it because it actually gives me an outlet for the rubbish that sometimes goes on in my life, a place to share my small triumphs, not that there are many, and an outlet for when life gets a bit shit.
At the moment I'm so stressed out about exams, the future, and just everything. I feel like a bad daughter because I've not rang my parents for 3 weeks now, I keep meaning to and then I forget. I feel bad for not getting outside more and trying to stay fitter. I feel bad because the snow at the moment in the Peak is beautiful and I can't get out and enjoy that either. I feel bad for annoying Lex, making him feel bad and generally being a shit girlfriend at times. In fact at the moment I'm not sure what to feel good about.
I also feel bad because in comparison to some peoples lives, my life is actually pretty wonderful. I have just about enough money, I have a wonderful boyfriend, a good family, somewhere to live, enough to eat, and clean water to drink. So why is this not enough?
Hopefully life will seem a little rosier in 36 hours. I have my last exam, and I then have a week until lectures start. I'd like to think I'll feel better for it, but from past experience I'm actually at my happiest when rushed off my feet. I desperately need to come up with a project to keep me busy next week, or I really will go mad!
I think I like it because it actually gives me an outlet for the rubbish that sometimes goes on in my life, a place to share my small triumphs, not that there are many, and an outlet for when life gets a bit shit.
At the moment I'm so stressed out about exams, the future, and just everything. I feel like a bad daughter because I've not rang my parents for 3 weeks now, I keep meaning to and then I forget. I feel bad for not getting outside more and trying to stay fitter. I feel bad because the snow at the moment in the Peak is beautiful and I can't get out and enjoy that either. I feel bad for annoying Lex, making him feel bad and generally being a shit girlfriend at times. In fact at the moment I'm not sure what to feel good about.
I also feel bad because in comparison to some peoples lives, my life is actually pretty wonderful. I have just about enough money, I have a wonderful boyfriend, a good family, somewhere to live, enough to eat, and clean water to drink. So why is this not enough?
Hopefully life will seem a little rosier in 36 hours. I have my last exam, and I then have a week until lectures start. I'd like to think I'll feel better for it, but from past experience I'm actually at my happiest when rushed off my feet. I desperately need to come up with a project to keep me busy next week, or I really will go mad!
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