The preimplantation human conceptus would be destroyed by an attack by the mother’s immune system, as half of its contents come from its father. Instead, the conceptus temporarily increases its production of prostaglandin E2, which, when elevated, becomes a powerful immunosuppressant, to ward off the attack. In the absence of this mechanism, reproduction would be impossible....

‘Too much of a good thing’ is exactly what some British scientists are thinking right now. According to a published report in the medical journal, “The Lancet Infectious Diseases”, excessive use of antibiotics and improper treatment in India’s hospitals has spawned a new superbug. This superbug, categorized as an enzyme called NDM-1, has been...