Genetics

Researchers Sniff Out the Genes Behind the Smell of the World's Stinkiest Fruit

The DNA of the durian, it turns out, is very complex and optimized for producing a wretched stench

The only specimen ever collected of the erstwhile species Phyllastrephus leucolepis, or the Liberian Greenbul

The Elusive Songbird Species That Likely Never Existed

After fruitless hunts for a Liberian songbird, DNA analysis suggests that the species is not new

Today's Galapagos tortoises mostly feature dome-shaped shells, like the one shown here. But researchers have found some that have the saddleback-shaped shells and longer necks that once characterized extinct Floreana and Pinta tortoises.

The Island Where Scientists Bring Extinct Reptiles Back to Life (Nope, Not That One)

Reviving a long-dead Galapagos tortoise will take Jurassic Park-esque tactics—but have humans already intervened too much?

Celiac Sufferers May Soon Have Better Bread Options Thanks to Genetically Modified Wheat

Researchers successfully removed 90 percent of the genes that code for the gluten proteins that trigger adverse symptoms

The wings of a normal and CRISPR-edited Sara Longwing butterfly show how disabling a single gene can change the patterns

Scientists Identify the Genes That Paint Butterfly Wings

Using genetic editing, scientists isolated just two genes that play a major role in making butterfly wings as pretty as they are

Mount Hora, the site in Malawi where an 8,100-year-old skeleton was found, yielding the oldest-known DNA from Africa.

Ancient DNA Helps Scientists Shed Light on How Ancient Africans Moved and Mixed

New techniques help explain why there is little genetic overlap between modern and ancient Malawi people—and promise much more

Kathy Niakan at work in the lab

Gene Editing of Embryos Gives Insight Into Basic Human Biology

A genetic tool allows researchers to disable a gene key to human development in a closely regulated experiment

An extensive longitudinal study looks at the connection between childhood environment and diseases in adulthood.

Your Childhood Experiences Can Permanently Change Your DNA

An investigation into more than 500 children shows that upbringing can have dramatic effects on human health

Tuna isn't always what it claims to be.

What's Really in That Tuna Roll? DNA Testing Can Help You Find Out

This rapidly evolving tech aims to empower consumers and shine a light on the food industry

Genetically modified immune cells ready to be reintroduced back into a person and attack leukemia.

First Gene Therapy Treatment Approved in U.S.

By modifying a person's own immune cells, the treatment can effectively target leukemia cells

A Russian scientific institute unveiled a statue in 2013 to an unsung hero of science - the lab mouse

This Russian Monument Honors the Humble Lab Mouse

A peculiar Russian monument praises the scientific achievements of a tiny mammal

Brilliantly White Moose Photographed in Sweden

It took a local politician three years to finally capture a video of the elusive ghostly creature

By editing a gene soon after fertilization, scientists were able to successfully fix a disease-causing mutation in human embryos

Five Things to Know About the Latest Gene Editing Breakthrough

While it's not the first case of genetically modifying human embryos, the study has reignited a long-running controversy

In a healthy reef, coral symbionts make food for the coral animal.

A Blueprint for Genetically Engineering a Super Coral

Why some researchers are proposing a drastic measure to save a threatened ecosystem

An arachnid in the trapdoor spider family, a group known for its snug and potentially even ocean-going burrows.

How One Brave Spider Floated Thousands of Miles to Colonize a New Continent

Improbably, new genetic analysis shows that trapdoor spiders may have ridden ocean currents from Africa to Australia

Blue chrysanthemums

The Scientific Feat That Birthed the Blue Chrysanthemum

In a world first, scientists engineered the flowers to take on an azure hue

Ramazzottius varieornatus, a species of tardigrade, photographed with scanning electron microscope

Why Are Tardigrades the World's Hardiest Creature? DNA Offers Clues

They may be tiny, but don't let their stubby stature fool you

A captive wolf greets a stranger in an experiment testing the sociability of dogs and their ancestors

What Makes Fido So Friendly? It Could Be Genetic

Mutations in several genes linked to hypersocial behavior in people may have helped along canine domestication

The olm, or cave dragon, is the largest cave-adapted animal in Europe. These strange creatures spend their entire lives in caves, and face threats from pollution runoff from agriculture and chemical plants on the surface.

Cave Dragons Exist—And Saving Them Could Be Key to Protecting Drinking Water

New DNA techniques are letting researchers track down the largest, strangest cave animals in the world

Cats rule the world. But how did they get here?

How Cats Conquered the World

Scientists use 9,000 years of feline genetics to chart their global rise to power

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