“One thing we know, that we know nothing.” This should be the motto of biotechnologists, if – as “scientists” – they were honest towards the populations that fund them. But they are not. Because if there is ignorance at the forefront of techno-scientific research and applications, then the ideological advantage of “safe and certain knowledge” is lost. Which, in turn, translates into guaranteed funding, careers, positions of prestige, etc.
If you have been reassured that your dna is structured as a “double helix”, forget it. A recent interdisciplinary publication in the journal Nature Chemistry confirmed a “suspicion” of two or three years: normal dna (and most likely not only human but of all animal species) is structured in another way as well (photograph).
This “strange” structure has indeed been baptized (“i-motif”) but its purpose remains unknown. Even more so since it turns out to be unstable: the “knot” ties and unties itself – for unknown reasons.
The strongest working hypothesis is that these structures function as “switches”: they allow and stop the operation of various genes…. Until this hypothesis (or any other) acquires the status of “scientific truth” you can rest assured: the linear, deterministic “reading” of gene function (of the kind: “the gene for intelligence” etc) constitutes unacceptable archaeology!
(Of course, trade and biological ideology for mass consumption keep it alive…)