genetics
Rhino mystery going back to Darwin solved
A recent study sheds light on the evolutionary history of rhinoceroses and their remarkably low levels of genetic diversity.
A strange link between grizzly bear DNA and human language
A genetic study of British Columbia grizzly bears finds a weird link to local human languages.
28 ancient viruses unknown to science found in a Tibetan glacier
Scientists discover surviving viruses in 15,000-year-old glacier ice on the Tibetan Plateau in China.
Making memories actually involves breaking our DNA, study shows
Brain cells snap strands of DNA in many more places and cell types than researchers previously thought.
Homo longi, the dragon man: Researchers identify our closest relative
In 1933, the skull of a 50-year-old male of the Homo longi species was found in China, puzzling researchers.
Tiny genetic differences add up to big behavioral effects
Many thousands of different genetic variants are responsible for complex behavior.
The pursuit for a high quality genome begins with this rare bird
The Vertebrate Genomes Project may spell good news for the kakapo and the vaquita.
Mixing human + animal DNA and the future of gene editing
"The question is which are okay, which are not okay."
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New study finds unusual genetic difference in people who live to 105
Want to live 100+ years? You may need unusually good DNA repair.
Are lab–grown embryos and human hybrids ethical?
This spring, a U.S. and Chinese team announced that it had successfully grown, for the first time, embryos that included both human and monkey cells.
Discovered: A tiny, glowing, poisonous, singing toadlet
Roughly the size of a thumbnail, this newly discovered toadlet has some anatomical surprises.
Blame evolution for human disease
For every good idea in evolution, there is an unintended consequence. Disease is often one of them.
Researchers identify genes linked to severe repetitive behaviors
A lab identifies which genes are linked to abnormal repetitive behaviors found in addiction and schizophrenia.
Tarantulas: How 120-million-year-old creatures conquered the globe
A study from Carnegie Mellon University tracks the travels of tarantulas since the Cretaceous period.
CRISPR: Can we control it?
The potential of CRISPR technology is incredible, but the threats are too serious to ignore.
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A genetic link between your face and brain shape
New research reveals that the face can affect the shape of the brain through a complex "cross-talk" between the two structures.
Progeria: New treatment could extend lives of children with ‘premature aging’ syndrome
The new treatment targets the underlying genetic cause of the disease.
‘Zombie’ genes in the brain get to work after you die
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago find that death triggers increased activity in certain brain cells.
Humans still similar to first animals without heads, arms, or skeletons
555-million-year-old oceanic creatures share genes with today's humans, finds a new study.
An ‘indiscriminate’ massacre: Study examines why 41 people were killed 6,200 years ago
"Large-scale indiscriminate killing is a horror that is not just a feature of the modern and historic periods, but was also a significant process in pre-state societies," the researchers wrote.
Your genetics influence how resilient you are to the cold
What makes some people more likely to shiver than others?
Lab-grown brain organoids mature like real infant brains
After 20 months, scientists find lab-dish brain cells matured at a similar rate to those of an actual infant.
Record for oldest DNA ever sequenced broken by mammoth remains
One million year old mammoth DNA more than doubles the previous record and suggests that even older genomes could be found.
Selfish sperm genes ‘poison’ the competition for the win
Imagine poisoning your rival and yourself and giving only yourself the antidote.
Study: Language (not geography) major force behind India’s gene flow
The study found that people who spoke the same language tended to be more closely related despite living far apart.
Biden nominates Dr. Eric Lander as cabinet-level science adviser, in U.S. first
Dr. Eric Lander is a pioneer in genomics. What role will he play in the new administration?
‘Designer baby’ book trilogy explores the moral dilemmas humans may soon create
How would the ability to genetically customize children change society? Sci-fi author Eugene Clark explores the future on our horizon in Volume I of the "Genetic Pressure" series.