• Question: What do you think will be the next major scientific discovery? Biological or just general scientific discoveries

    Asked by ibot to Ed, Katie, Sam, Steve, Vera on 20 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Vera Weisbecker

      Vera Weisbecker answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      I think that we are very close to understanding the genetic basis of really serious diseases – cancer and genetic diseases for example. By now we know the entire code of the human DNA, and that means that scientists have started working out which genes go together with which diseases, and also how to stop the genes from wreaking havoc. Scientists are working hard on this and hopefully soon they will both be able to pinpoint and treat those vicious diseases!

    • Photo: Ed Morrison

      Ed Morrison answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      In psychology, I think some really exciting developments are happening in neuroscience, where we can use technology to stimulate or even switch off certain areas of the brain. This will tell us what different parts of the brain do without relying on brain-damaged patients, and without hurting the participants. We know so little about the brain so this would be a big breakthrough.

    • Photo: Steven Daly

      Steven Daly answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      I think the next breakthrough is going to be with computers that use light instead of electricity in their circuits. This would speed up computers massively, and would make them use a lot less power.

    • Photo: Katie Marriott

      Katie Marriott answered on 19 Jun 2011:

      I hope it’s a cure for cancer or AIDS, or any disease that is at the moment uncurable.

      Although Steven’s answer is pretty cool!

    • Photo: Sam Tazzyman

      Sam Tazzyman answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      It would be great to know how the physical shape of proteins is made from amino acids in the cells of all living creatures, and how the shape makes them interact with each other.

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