to discuss a few things from the back of recent Economist magazines.
Unfortunately, I have learned a lot about cancer over the past 2 years. The Economist reviewed in 9/14 issue two books on how the science is coming to understand cancer. It is not just progress from the Human Genome program or other DNA research, it involves other aspects of science as well. Some Dinosaur fossils had cancers. Mammals get more cancer than reptiles who get more than amphibians.
The complexity of cancer is being unraveled at a slow but steady pace and DNA mapping of tumors is coming up with amazing facts and understandings.
The good news is more people survive after having their cancer found. The bad news is we all die and some die sooner because of cancer. Interestingly, some things like the Chernobyl radiation release have not pushed up the cancer rate significantly. The only thing we can do is (i) not smoke (30% of cancers are smoking related) and (ii) don't be fat and lazy (obesity is another 20%) and (iii) eat a mixed and balanced diet (bad diet causes between 10% to 25% of cancers).
Panda's have a microbes in their gut that help them digest bamboo. If able to be replicated outside their digestive tract, these microbes could help produce biofuels and renewable energy.
The Private Sector does not fund research like this because it does not help next quarters earnings. It only happens with the support of the Government.
Paul Collier has written a book about immigration. Migration makes migrants better off or they would not be migrants. Countries that where migrants settle are better off unless they threaten the cultural cohesion, but too few immigrants inhibits a country because diverse countries are more successful. Poor countries from which migrants come from benefit from remittances and ideas being sent back unless all the educated people leave. The U.S. is almost 100% immigrants and is the poster child for the benefits of migration.
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