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Genetics

Kathy Niakan at work in the lab

New Research

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

Cool Finds

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

New Research

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.

New Research

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

New Research

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

New Research

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.

Future of Conservation

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?

New Research

How Cats Conquered the World

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

Ancient DNA revolutionized archaeology. Now, researchers think they can use it to create a GPS system for the remains of the long-dead.

New Research

Ancient DNA Could Unravel the Mystery of Prehistoric European Migration

New research pinpoints the geographic origins of ancient Eurasians, showing how the continent’s population changed

View looking south of the Jebel Irhoud site in Morocco, where the fossils were found

New Research

The Science Behind the Discovery of the Oldest Homo Sapien

We need both genetics and anthropology to solve the mysteries of human origins, says a researcher on the team

The sarcophagus of Tadja, one of the mummies from Abusir el Meleq that had its DNA analyzed in a new study.

New Research

Ancient Mummies Finally Give Up Their Genetic Secrets

Armed with new DNA techniques, scientists have extracted genetic sequences from preserved Egyptians

DNA barcoding, as the name suggests, was designed to make identifying a species as simple as scanning a supermarket barcode.

Future of Conservation

The Key to Protecting Life on Earth May Be Barcoding It

An easier way to read DNA is helping scientists tease apart species and ecosystems in nuanced ways

New Research

Sherpas Evolved to Live and Work at Altitude

The Nepali ethnic group handles oxygen more efficiently, allowing them to more easily live in the mountains

Aubrey de Grey says, “There’s no such thing as aging gracefully.”

Can Human Mortality Really Be Hacked?

Backed by the digital fortunes of Silicon Valley, biotech companies are brazenly setting out to “cure” aging

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