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News: Johns Hopkins Surgeons Prepare for First Penis Transplant

Penis Transplant

A young soldier who lost a portion of penis from a blast in Afghanistan will be the first person in the world to receive a penis transplant. The procedure, which will be performed by surgeons at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, will be the first of its kind in the United States. The organ will be taken from a deceased donor, and the surgeons believe the penis will be fully functional within a mere few months. Injuries to the penis are not uncommon in the military. From 2001-2013, 1,367 men serving in Iraq and Afghanistan suffered from injuries … Read more

Discussion: New Discoveries Day

New Discoveries Day

Hey all, Recently we launched New Discoveries Day – a day once a month (usually on the first day of the month) when we discuss recent discoveries that fascinate us and that could spawn plot bunnies (or plot squirrels or plot mongeese – your plot animal of choice). So chime in and let us know about any new discoveries you ran across in the last month – links are always appreciated. Thanks to Freddy MacKay for the great idea! –Scott Come Join the Chat!

News: Did Scientists Just Discover Evidence That ‘Gay Genes’ Exist?

DNA

Scientists may have found genetic indicators of whether someone has same or opposite-sex attraction. The link was discovered when scientists compared the DNA of 47 sets of male twins. The pairs included some where the two twins had a different sexual orientation. Looking at the molecular data from nine genome sites, researchers could guess whether a twin pair was straight or gay with up to 70% accuracy. Lead researcher Dr Tuck Ngun, from the University of California at Los Angeles, said: “To our knowledge, this is the first example of a predictive model for sexual orientation based on molecular markers.” … Read more

Discussion: New Discoveries

New Scientific Discoveries

Today we’re launching a new monthly discussion topic, suggested by Freddy MacKay – New Discoveries. This is a sci fi topic mostly (tho we may get a little paranormal mixed in here and there). Each month, we’ll share the new scientific discoveries we’ve heard about during the last month. Did someone cure cancer? Discover a new planet? Find the missing link between men and wolves? Come tell us about it – maybe we’ll spark some new stories and birth a few plot bunnies, squirrels, and mongeese. Come chat about it with us! :)

Article: Brain’s ‘gender’ may be quite flexible: Mechanism that plays key role in sexual differentiation of brain described

I’m trying to decide if this article should be filed under “horror” or “speculative.” We’ve all heard the adage that the same hammer that builds houses can also be used to kill. Well… this to me seems like a Science Hammer. Brain’s ‘gender’ may be quite flexible: Mechanism that plays key role in sexual differentiation of brain described During prenatal development, the brains of most animals, including humans, develop specifically male or female characteristics. In most species, some portions of male and female brains are a different size, and often have a different number of neurons and synapses. However, scientists … Read more

Scan and Print a 3d Image of Your Junk

This story made me laugh – we have an amazing new technology that will allow us to interact with our world in a new way, and what do we do with it? The future is here, and it’s hung: At long last, the technology you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived. Scanify’s handheld 3D scanner bills itself as “the world’s first point-and-shoot 3D scanner.” It allows users to take three dimensional photographs of anything — yes, anything – their hearts desire because, well, why not? The device, which has only been made available to a small handful of people, is … Read more