Are cell mutations always bad? A mutation is a change in the genetic material of an organism. We are made from trillions of cells, each with a nucleus composed of DNA â a set of instructions that tells the cell what to do. Cells copy themselves with astonishing accuracy, but every now and then a piece of code is copied incorrectly.
Seven eclipses occur in a minimum of 12 lunar months (about 354.37 days). Given that the calendar year is only about eleven days longer than 12 lunar months, the first of the seven eclipses has to come in early January for the seventh eclipse to occur before the end of the year.
Editor's note: The next solar eclipse is the total eclipse that will take place on Aug. 21. It will sweep across the continental United States from Oregon to Georgia. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon gets between Earth and the sun, and the moon casts a shadow over Earth. A solar eclipse can only take place at the phase of new moon, when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth and its shadows fall upon Earthâs surface.