The latest edition of the University of Malta’s Think magazine has been issued.

Its main article focuses on the Malta Human Genome project, in which geneticists are sequencing the Maltese genome to discover where native people come from and invaluable findings regarding the health of the population.

In another article, Prof. Giu­seppe Di Giovanni talks about the positive effect of marijuana on people suffering from certain types of epilepsy. Marijuana’s active ingredient is very similar to chemicals of the brain that help control seizures. He gives a detailed overview of the benefits, side effects and potential applications of medical marijuana.

In an interview by Cassi Camilleri, Prof. Carmel Borg describes Malta’s school system as “antiquated”. Malta has double the EU average of early school leavers and Dr Borg talks about ways to reduce the worrying number of dropouts.

Malta is a nesting hotspot in the Mediterranean for particular spe­cies of travelling seabirds but decades of overfishing, pollution and overdevelopment are threatening their survival. Ben Metzger and Marie Claire Gatt talk about a major EU project to protect them.

Think may be picked up for free from newsagents and Agenda book­stores or viewed online.

www.um.edu.mt/think