Synthetic biology is a developing field of science that may have great impact on our future. Originally coined by geneticist Waclaw Szybalski in 1974, he described it as the next phase of molecular biology, a “field with the unlimited expansion potential and hardly any limitation to building”, in which he was “not concerned that we will run out of exciting and novel ideas”. Although still in its infancy and with few, but increasing, results, synthetic biology still contains incredible possibilities but has also raised debate about the many dangers such powerful knowledge of biological synthesis and its application could produce.

 Tiny but Smart

 The Terrorizing Appendix

    On November 5th 2009 Major Nadal Malik Hasan shot dead 13 people and injured many more at Fort Hood, in Texas. In light of this recent tragedy, I want to know: why do people go on rampages? To examine this, I will look into a few cases  (school shootings mostly) in which people, seemingly inexplicably, went on killing sprees. Why do they happen? What different explanations exist for these rampages? After I have examined past cases, paying special attention to the Columbine shootings, I will return to this recent case, of Maj. Hasan, and attempt to analyze it based on my findings.