COVID-19 Pandemic Spawns “Infodemic” in Scientific Literature
New policies, technologies could help make sense of flood of information. The science community has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with such a flurry of…
Ethics
Researchers Say Tear Gas Should Be Banned – Here’s Why
The use of tear gas is rightfully banned in warfare and should equally be banned as a riot-control agent in law enforcement contexts. The use…
Is It Wrong to Prioritize Younger People Over Older COVID-19 Patients?
With services overburdened, healthcare professionals are having to decide who should receive treatment. But is it wrong to prioritize younger patients with COVID-19? Two experts…
“Serious Breach of International Ethical Standards” in Who Malaria Vaccine Study
Experts are troubled by the apparent lack of informed consent in a pilot study of the vaccine. A large scale malaria vaccine study led by…
“Substantially Human” – Bioscientific Advancements Requires Determining Boundaries of What’s Human
Recent and rapid developments in the biosciences continually blur the lines between human beings and other living organisms, while straining the legal definitions of what…
Growing Genetically Engineered Stingrays for Footwear Raises Ethical Concerns
A company called Rayfish Footwear claims to bring consumers shoes made out of genetically engineered stingrays. The resulting shoes look very distinctive, but there has…
Neuroscience Breakthroughs Could Be Harnessed by Military
If the military embraces the latest developments in neuroscience, soldiers could have their minds directly plugged into weapons systems, undergo brain scans during recruitment and…
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: The Ethics of Brain Boosting
Prominent Oxford neuroscientists are teaming up with ethicists to consider the issues raised by brain stimulating techniques. They recently spoke on BBC’s Radio 4 morning…