Aumsonata

How about MIT open-courseware. They have a lot of online, free lectures. Just click the advanced search preference and select audio/video lectures.

I have heard about some people in Kentucky (from a long pedigree of inbreeding) who have problems with their hemoglobin, causing them to aquire a bluish tint. Does this have anything to do with the original question or are you talking about a completely different phenomena?

If you look at the animal kingdom, the weak members play a vital role in keeping the community alive. They get preyed upon first, distracting the predators, and allowing the strong to run the hell away. They participate in recipricol altruism, and they increase the members of the species by reproducing and allowing for more genetic recombination. A disease like sickle cell anemia doesn't seem so great, but neither does malaria. If we didn't have the reccessive genes that cause sicke cell (and makes people sick and "weak"), the african population could have been seriously been decimated by malaria. The problem with eugenics, with playing God, is that you cannot predict the traits which may be valuable to our species in the future. What if you eradicate genes that could have future benefits, but seem "weak" in the present. Really we should be focusing on trying to better understand our genetic diversity before we try to take nature's job into our own hands.

Perhaps, though, when one is nervous, their body produces chemicals that add to the foulness of B.O.

I believe that many of those people that protest are not really concerned about the mothers at hand or the aborted babies. More, they are interested in a political agenda that takes away a woman's right to choose and completely ignores the issue at hand: there a too many babies being born to women who won't or can't take care of them. I think the that until society finds better ways to support and assist single mothers, find good homes for orphans, and protect women from sexual predators, we have no right to enforce regulations that prevent a woman from doing what she sees fit for her own survival.

I didn't read all the article, but I think it brings up an interesting point of view. Americans are so concerned with the moral issues surrounding abortion, eg. is the fetus really alive or not(is abortion equivilant to murder), that we totally miss the obvious danger of illegal abortions, which in the past was, and perhaps in the future will be, women's only choice. In reality, women who want or need to get an abortion performed will seek out a way, be that a legal and safe way, or a rusty coat hanger used by someone who doesn't even have a medical license.

I agree with Mayflower. Fruits and veggies are good!!! Plus, if it is fat that we crave, there are plenty of "good" fats out there: nuts, fish, avocado-to name a few. Sure, sugar in moderation tastes nice, but when I eat too much, I get sick. I guess for some people going to the drive-thru is just more convenient than going to the store and then fixing yourself a nice, balanced meal. My theory is that all the Mickey D's freaks out there are just so addicted that they don't even notice how bad their diet makes them feel. They are used to feeling unhealthy and maybe don't even know what healthy feels like. Also, quick meals go hand and hand with the average American lifestyle. Food is just an after-thought. Sorry if I sound like a tree-hugging hippy here. I know this IS "Science Forums"

One common thread, for most serial killers, is an unusually tramatic childhood. So I would say there is some correlation with environmental factors and the desire/urge to torment and kill others. Have any scientists done studies on the actual brains of these people to see if there are any damaged or unusual brain features? That could lead to further information on whether there is an innate or neurological predisposition for causing these violent acts. I also find it to be unusual that Aileen Wournos was executed and Charles Manson and other male serial killers(they are mostly white males) are still alive . Not that I necassarilly agree with the death penalty. Was it because she was tried in Texas?

Serial killers, from what I have heard, feel less empathy than the average person, making them perhaps unresponsive to the pain that they inflict on others. I can't cite sources, as I don't have any offhand, but I remember reading that these types of people are basically like the child that tortures insects and animals, out of a strange curiosity and facination. They might experience a disconnect when it comes to the pain of others, perhaps because they are so caught up in their own psychological suffering.Or maybe hurting others puts them in touch with their own feelings. Just some random thoughts.