txchnologist:
by Txchnologist Staff
Jet engines need cutting-edge materials that are strong, light and can withstand extreme heat. GE is developing a material that can handle high temperatures like ceramics can and is also as tough as metal. Here, a projectile fired at a sample of advanced ceramic composite tests the material’s ability to endure the strike.
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jayparkinsonmd:
Back in 2007, I had a patient who was uninsured with a strong family history of breast cancer. At the time, the only place you could get tested for BRCA1 and BRCA2 was this company called Myriad. They had a monopoly on the test. I thought the patient really needed to know her risk (which could be as high as 87% likelihood of getting breast or ovarian cancer). I called up Myriad and asked how much their test would cost a cash-paying patient. They said $4000. I asked if they had some sort of financial assistance programs. They said nope. Of course this made me angry.
And now it’s 2013. Back in January I joined 23andMe, spit in a cup and sent it off to them, and found that I have none of the three most popular BRCA mutations. And this only cost me $99 cash. So…in 5 years or so, the cost of understanding your risk went from $4000 for testing two genes to $99 for sequencing much of your DNA. And that’s a beautiful thing.
I applaud Angelina Jolie for being open and honest about her decision to have a double mastectomy to prevent breast cancer. Celebrities can shed a vital light on important and difficult issues to popularize. And she’s done a remarkable job, unlike Jenny McCarthy. By being science and data-driven, you can save lives. By being emotional and scientifically ignorant, you can take lives.
photo by Martin Schoeller
$99 is worth it to know.