The year 2014 already has seen heaps of extraordinary new stories. Many of them challenged our old perceptions of the world and invited new perspectives to the reality. For example, just several years ago, main stream media excitedly reported reduced snow falls and melting ices and they even argued that white Christmas (of course in the northern hemisphere) would soon become things of past because of global warming. Alas, suddenly the weather daemon apparently has changed its mind and extreme ice and show conditions causing havoc in electricity and transport all over the world.
In biomedical science, it was the discovery of the stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency (STAP) cells. The idea of the induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells which proved that mature cells can be reprogrammed to gain the ability to turn into any type of cells had been innovative enough to earn the Nobel Prize but STAP cells went even further. The notion that just dipping cells into an acid bath can transform them into stem cells was too extraordinary to believe or even to take seriously, and actually it was rejected by the science journal Nature multiple times.
Although it does not imply that all "too good to be true" stories should be treated with respect, there should be plenty of fascinating but unexpected discoveries waiting for us. There are still heaps of stones left unturned in the universe. By no means the science was already settled and well-known. I have got a feeling that the year 2014 would be a great year of scientific discoveries and technological innovations.
I am concerned that Japanese media has been relating the discovery of the STAP cells to the personal traits of Dr Haruko Obokata who made it. For me, they are looking for the golden formula of the Nobel Prize Winner as it can be reproduced by parents in growing their own children. Such a delusion is contrary to the fact revealed by the discovery of the STAP cells itself. We still know nothing about the nature.
Just Keep Calm and Carry On.
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