Scientists at a biotech company have used gene editing to create two hypoallergenic beagles that don't trigger allergies. Using a Nobel Prize-winning editing tool called CRISPR, they switched off a gene that produces the main allergy-causing protein in dogs. The pups Alfie and Bailey were born healthy and are still going strong almost two years later. It'll take years before such pooches could be available at pet stores because scientists need to make sure the approach is safe and affordable. It's the first time this technique has been successful in dogs. Findings were published on Wednesday in the CRISPR Journal.
A new report by the city’s watchdog says that Chicago's rodent abatement program is unlikely to achieve long-term control of the rat population using reactive methods. The audit, published Tuesday, analyzed the Department of Streets and Sanitation’s efforts from July 2023 through July 2024. It found that the Bureau of Rodent Control prioritized poisoning rats rather than implementing comprehensive solutions like monitoring sanitary conditions. The report suggests adopting Integrated Pest Management practices, which include proactive surveying and non-toxic solutions. The city says it has since made improvements, and rat complaints have slightly decreased. However, rats remain a persistent issue in Chicago.
World War II’s D-Day landing beaches in northern France and the iconic Mount Olympus in Greece were among the sites added to the World Heritage List on Sunday at a U.N. committee meeting in South Korea reviewing dozens of nominations. The UNESCO committee, which meets in Busan through Wednesday, also inscribed the ancient Japanese capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara and South Sudan’s Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape, host to one of the world’s largest land mammal migrations and the country’s first addition to the World Heritage List. The World Heritage inscription of Mount Olympus, the mythical home of the 12 Olympian gods, rewarded a 12-year effort by Greece to secure recognition for its tallest mountain.