@mordicai: I stated that genes aren't monoliths of behaviour and that I'm not a genetic determinist. You were the person who said that genes aren't monoliths of evolution. What do hormones have to do with evolution? And thalidomide would fall under the heading of chance, which I also stated.

Ah 'Made of honour'. The film that taught me that scottish people have never heard of basketball. This film should be culturally accurate.

@duckgirlie: Yeah, but it's snowing at the moment. that adds at least a month onto the journey.

Margaret, it's not a film, it's a fillum! God, learn to speak hiberno-english why dontcha!

@mbprice: I'm in translational medicine. We like to bring the bench to the bedside. Or something!

@Antennapedia: Science articles always get details like that wrong, it's how you can tell the person hasn't a clue what they're talking about.

@portia_sue: One of my favourite science writers is Nick Lane, but his work might be too detailed for some. He's my hero, but then I'm obsessed with mitochondria (yes, I may be the biggest nerd on the planet).

@Antennapedia: Unless you have mutation in the BRCA1 gene. Then pregnancy increases your risk of breast cancer, unfortunately.

@mordicai: What do you think hormones are, apart from proteins, which are coded for by genes. I'm not a genetic determinist, but genes are the monoliths of evolution. They are not howver, the monolths of behaviour, merely important participants.

@mordicai: Why, what else do you think mediates evolution, apart from say god, or chance?

@ExpressedDisapproval: That's actually the prototypical example used to explain how past diet effects future generations.

@bluetrain84: Oh, it is massively important that expectant mothers have high enough levels of folic acid, and not just folic acid but also vitamin B6, and B12, in order to prevent a huge range of birth defects and pregnancy complications (neural tube defects, pre-eclampsia, placental abruption, and early recurrent…

@dahliacactus: No, it's actually way more interesting than that. Methylation of promoter regions of genes (promoter regions are the part which control the gene being transcribed into a protein) is a way of turning off the promoter, 'silencing' the gene. This silencing has different levels of permanency, imprinted…

Fear of epigenetic changes is one of the main arguments against mandatory addition of Folic acid to flour. The folate cycle is involved in creating bases for DNA synthesis, as well as methyl groups for DNA methylation (proteins also undergo methylation, but that's a different story). There is a fear that the folate…

@HarpMadness: But where's the embittered jewish kid?

@awkwardsilence0711: I thought it was octomom until I saw the Cher puns. They look scarily alike.

People are so excited about your ad campaign that it has been leaked and previewed early? Cry me a river Balenciaga. Ads are for viewing and they're being viewed. Chill.

@PaigeTurner: Well compared to some other professions, the hours are less. In Ireland secondary school teachers have a full three months summer holidays. Also, while I am aware that teachers (well aware, my mother is a teacher) have extra duties on top of classroom assignments, those duties can be performed at home…

@pantsless economist...access RESTORED: I would say in many fields it is difficult to get back into the workforce once you've left for any reason. Law was given as one example, science is another that springs to mind. Competitive fields, where your CV and experience make the difference between success and failure, are…

@PaigeTurner: Fantastically so, it's sometimes hard to comment on them because she covers the issues so well.