| 'Designer babies' will still refer to fashion-forward tots, for now | | Impressive. For the first time, a disease-causing mutation in viable human embryos was corrected. What? Scientists in a lab combined a sperm containing a mutation and a healthy egg. They also added a special tool to snip out the bad gene. And it worked . Does that mean so-called "designer babies" — those with desirable traits — are coming to a fertility clinic near you? No. But the experiment moves the prospect of tinkering with genes before birth "from future fantasy to the world of possibility," said Peter Braude, an emeritus professor of obstetrics and gynecology at King's College London. | | Sorry 'bout the sanctions, Vlad | | President Trump signed a new package of sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea , but nobody said he had to like doing it. Even as he signed the legislation that bars him from easing or waiving the penalties on Russia unless Congress agrees, Trump issued a statement saying it "encroaches on executive power" and limits his "authority to negotiate." The sanctions target Russia President Vladimir Putin and his inner circle, in part for Russia's alleged campaign of fake news and cyberattacks to influence the 2016 presidential election. Trump's campaign is being investigated for possible collusion with Russia in that effort. Some Democrats saw Trump's disgruntled statement as a sort of "apology" to Putin and said he had little choice but to sign the bill, which overwhelmingly passed both the House and Senate. | | Et tu, Cancún? | | Sandy beaches. Archaeological ruins. Violent crimes and drug gangs. Mexico's tourist hot spot of Cancún shows signs of following the ill-fated path of Acapulco . That city was once the granddaddy of Mexican tourist destinations, but now is one of country's deadliest areas and no longer a mecca for international travelers. The influx of violence around Cancún and nearby Tulum and Playa del Carmen is jeopardizing the area's $20-billion-a-year business. Before canceling your trip, consider this: The area has fewer homicides in 2017 than Chicago, which has had more homicides than any U.S. city so far this year. If you go: Be cautious, avoid drinking the water, and be careful about the alcohol, too. | | Moscow Mules and copper mugs are consciously uncoupling | | Is a Moscow Mule sans copper mug still a Moscow Mule? Yes. And it might be better for you. The cocktail with vodka, ginger beer and lime is commonly served in a frosty copper mug, but high concentrations of copper are poisonous and have caused food-borne illness. Iowa adopted a Food and Drug Administration code to keep copper away from foods that have a pH below 6.0. Among them: Moscow Mules, fruit juices, vinegar and wine. 'Scuze us while we pack up those mugs we bought on Amazon. |  | | Want to defend planet Earth from alien threats? Get your resume ready. | | If you've ever wanted to save the planet from an alien invasion, this might be the perfect job for you. NASA is hiring a "planetary protection officer," and yes, the job is as cool as it sounds. The space agency is looking for someone with "advanced knowledge of planetary protection" to prevent alien life from making its way to Earth in a spaceship. It's a huge responsibility and requires frequent (intergalactic?) travel, but the job also comes with a six-figure salary. | |
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