tags: Africa, agriculture, AI, apes, artificial, artificial intelligens, ASPM, atoms, biological diversity, biology, biosphere, biotechnology, birds, bloom, botany, bottom-up, brain, breeding, carbon dioxide, Carl Linnaeus, cells, cell division, chemical vapour deposition, children, chimpanzee, classification, climate, cloning, computers, computer chips, consciousness, cross-fertilisation, Darwin, death, development, DNA, domestic animals, Earth, ecology, economics, ecosystems, egg cell, egoism, electronic devices, elevator, embryo, embryonic stem cells, emotions, energy forests, environment, ethics, evolution, flooding, florigen, flowering, forestry, FOXP2, fullerenes, GDP, genemanipulation, genes, genetics, genetic code, gene manipulation, global change, God, heridity, human being, invisibility, kieselguhr, language, learning, life, materials, medicine, Mendel, molecular biology, molecular electronics, molecules, mutations, MYH16, nano, nanometres, nanotechnology, nanotubes, nano clocks, Nobel, nobel prize, oceans, organs, ozone hole, parkinson, pharmaceuticals, plants, play, poplar, proteins, quantum effects, rain forests, religion, resilience, robots, scanning tunnel microscope, self-awareness, self-consciousness, sex, space, speech, stem cells, top-down, trees, urbanisation, wetlands, Ångström,

hans ellegren

"We'll soon be able to combine this information with data at molecular level. And then, who knows? Perhaps we'll be able to identify exactly which genes make the flycatcher a... flycatcher!"  Read more

question 16: how will we use trees in the future?

Trees have always been immensely important to humans. They've given us fire, they've given us shelter. Maybe in our high-tech age it's been tempting to believe that their importance has waned. Far from it! Exciting new insights into what makes trees grow are opening a whole new future for forestry.  Read more

question 23: nature versus nurture – what makes us the way we are?

What is it that makes you resemble your parents? How does the bear know when it's time to hibernate? What makes flowers of the same species bloom at the same time? Modern evolutionary biology is an exciting research field which will eventually help us answer many of the questions that puzzle us.  Read more

question 38: how unnatural are our domestic animals?

The evolution of wild animals into tame domestic ones shows how man has controlled animal biology and our own culture down the ages. No domestic animals can in fact be called 'natural' – and we may wonder how far this development can go. Which animals will be the pets of the future?  Read more

question 40: can wood possibly replace oil in the future?

If oil belonged to the 20th century, it looks as if wood could be the raw material of the 21st century – as indeed it was in earlier times. Good news for a country that's more than half covered by forest. To get back to nature and replace plastics with paper and other wood-based materials we need a whole new kind of engineering. No wonder that protein engineering is a hot research field in a country like Sweden.  Read more

question 46: only 46,400 species to go?

A marathon 20-year project is underway in Sweden. It's goal? To describe all the multi-celled living organisms in the country. Every last creepy-crawly and weed is to be tracked down, scientifically investigated and then described and illustrated in a gigantic reference work for the general public. Carl Linnaeus would be rubbing his hands with glee!  Read more

question 48: which species must we preserve for the future?

Is there any point in trying to preserve all the Earth's biological species? Or are some more valuable than others? How can we decide? Modern molecular biology is a big help.  Read more

question 52: which is the oldest plant?

Conifers are the oldest of all the plants that spread by seed. Pine and spruce have been around on Earth much longer than fruit like redcurrants and blackberries. These ancient inhabitants of the planet may well take on a whole new significance in the future. Forest genetics are today becoming a hotter subject than ever before.  Read more