Discussion:
IS THIS SCIENCE?
1. IS THIS SCIENCE? Promotional materials for a sports drink say that "water is not enough" for people who are exercising and that it's important to instead consume a liquid that contains flavoring, carbohydrates, potassium and sodium. Do you think that consuming a sports drink after exercise can help maintain homeotasis? Explain your answer.
2. IS THIS SCIENCE? An organization called "Cloniad" claims to have produced many healthy human clones. Investigate and evaluate these claims. Argue for and against the use of human cloning for reproductive purposes.
3. On the basis of the information in "Links to Life," do you think that this type of male contraception will be popular? Explain your answer. What features do you believe are necessary for the successful male contraceptive?
4. Fertility drugs have greatly increased the incidence of multiple births. When more than two embryos share the uterus, the incidence of premature birth and developmental problems increases substantially. The medical cost of caring for multiple premature infants is staggering. When fertility drugs produce multiple embryos, the physician can selectively eliminate some of these embryos early in development, so the remaining few have a better chance to develop fully and normally. Given these facts, discuss the ethical implications of taking fertility drugs.