Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Genetics

Fatu, born in 2000, is one of the world’s last two surviving northern white rhinos. In this 2013 photograph, she’s hanging out with southern white rhinos at Kenya’s Pejeta Nature Conservancy.

San Diego’s Frozen Zoo Offers Hope for Endangered Species Around the World

The largest animal cryobank in the world is a rich source of genetic knowledge that may one day be used to bring endangered species back from the brink

Why Scientists Want to Engineer Spicy Tomatoes

With genetic tinkering, the fruits may offer an easy source of capsaicin, the beneficial compound that gives peppers their heat

The poison mimic frog, or Ranitomeya imitator, is one of the world's only known genetically monogamous frogs.

Scientists Identify Gene Pattern That Makes Some Animals Monogamous

A new study has found that 24 genes show similar activity in the brain tissue of five species that stick with one mate at a time

None

Ingenious Minds

How Jean Bennett Found a Way to Treat Hereditary Blindness in Children

In conversation with chef Spike Gjerde, the molecular geneticist explains how she is paving the way for the future of gene therapy

(Mårten Teigen, Museum of Cultural History; Associated Press; Stocktrek Images, Inc. / Alamy; CDC / James Gathany; Philippe Charlier; Brian Palmer; David Iliff via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 3.0; Alamy; Pasini et al. / World Neurosurgery / Elsevier; Donovan Wiley; Library of Congress)

Our Top 11 Stories of 2018

From a 50-year-old political scandal to swarms of genetically engineered mosquitos, here are Smithsonian.com’s most-read stories

Prior to the new study, only one ancient individual's DNA had been retrieved: a person of aboriginal descent from the Willandra Lakes region seen here.

DNA Can Help Repatriate the Remains of Aboriginal Australians

A new study was able to match genetic material of ancient remains to the DNA of living Aboriginal communities

New Research

Cardinals in Different Regions Could Actually Be Distinct Species, Their Songs Suggest

Populations of the ubiquitous red bird have different calls and genetics in the American southwest

Varieties of maize found near Cuscu and Machu Pichu at Salineras de Maras on the Inca Sacred Valley in Peru, June 2007.

Rethinking the Corny History of Maize

A new genetic study traces the movement of one of the world’s most vital crops from Mexico to South America

Cool Finds

Fruit Flies First Began Feeding on Our Fresh Produce About 10,000 Years Ago

It turns out the insects love marula fruit found in south-central Africa, which attracted them to human caves

At the time of the study's writing, the then seven-month-old baby girl was developing normally and appeared to be the picture of health

Woman With Womb Transplanted From Deceased Donor Successfully Gives Birth

Recipient was born without a womb, but thanks to uterine transplant, she was able to deliver a healthy baby girl in December 2017

The Ten Best Science Books of 2018

These titles explore the wide-ranging implications of new discoveries and experiments, while grounding them in historical context

Lonesome George

New Research

Lonesome George the Giant Tortoise’s DNA Reveals Cancer-Fighting and Longevity Genes

The iconic reptile and last Pinta Island tortoise passed in 2012, but a new look at his DNA is helping researchers understand genetics

New Research

Evidence Suggests Humans Reached “Roof of the World” 40,000 Years Ago

Over 3,000 stone tools show human presence in Tibetan plateau 20,000 years before previously thought

Dads Also Pass on Mitochondrial DNA, Contrary to Long-Standing Belief

A new study, which found paternal mitochondrial DNA in 17 individuals, upends the commonly accepted theory that mtDNA comes exclusively from the mother

CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene editing tool that has allowed scientists to alter the genomes of living organisms with unprecedented accuracy and ease.

What’s New, and What’s Not, in the Reported Birth of the CRISPR Babies

Editing human DNA, either in embryos or in cells that are reintroduced to the body, had come a long way before Lulu and Nana were born

“I didn’t sleep at all,” says Albert Maguire, recalling the night after he and Jean Bennett treated their first gene therapy patient. The operation was a success.

2018 Smithsonian Ingenuity Awards

A New Treatment for Blindness Comes From Gene Therapy

A wife-and-husband research team cracks the code to allow certain patients to see again

But First, Coffee—Unless You Are Genetically Disposed to Prefer Tea

Genetic variants that affect our sensitivity to certain bitter substances could play a part in determining our brew of choice, according to a new study

Burket's warbler

New Research

This Rare Warbler Is Three Species in One

A warbler discovered in Pennsylvania is the offspring of a hybrid female and a male from a completely different genus

An Inaccessible Island rail

How a Flightless Bird Ended Up on an Island 1,550 Miles Away From Any Mainland

New genetic analysis suggests the bird did not walk to Inaccessible Island, as scientists in the past suggested

Llama antibodies are smaller than human ones, making them ideal for latching onto hard-to-reach areas of flu virus strains

Llama Antibodies May Be the Key to Flu Prevention

Researchers have created a llama-inspired mega protein capable of neutralizing 59 different strains of influenza

Page 22 of 38