For the Week December 30, 2018.
Will making babies the good old fashioned way – by having sex – one day be considered a needlessly risky, potentially inhumane genetic roll of the dice? This futurist thinks so. He maintains that as reproductive technologies progress to the point where we can eliminate genetic diseases – and tweak other heritable traits – society will deem it irresponsible not to do so. Read more here.
This is important for you because we should be grateful that Aldous Huxley’s vision of growing children in tanks is not quite here yet.
Parenting is a very difficult job. But unlike others, when you get burnt out – which you likely will, all parents do – you can’t quit. The good new is that very definable factors contribute to burnout, and most of them can be mitigated. Try to keep in mind that, despite what magazines and in-laws may imply, you are doing a great job. Because you most likely are. Read more here.
This is important for you because “When we require a particular result from our day, our child’s performance, or even our family’s response to a meal, our stress levels increase — and worse, we’ve let our own happiness become dependent on something we don’t control.”
All cultures have food myths… like that sauerkraut juice will make women sick only if they are pregnant, acting like a pregnancy test. Read more here.
This is important for you because people will tell you so many weird things about what to eat – and not to eat! – while you’re pregnant. They all come from somewhere.
The Public Library of Science (PLoS) family of journals was among the first to be open access – i.e. free – and is among the most prestigious. PLoS Medicine is now planning a special issue on Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition. Submissions are currently being requisitioned. Read more here.
This is important for you because food security is an issue for too many people on this planet; research into how it affects infants and children is sadly very relevant.
