Genetics

  1. Humans

    Why screening DNA for ‘designer babies’ probably won’t work

    While simulations suggest it’s possible to predict a child’s height from looking at an embryo’s DNA, real-world examples say otherwise.

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  2. Animals

    Flipping a molecular switch can turn warrior ants into foragers

    Toggling one protein soon after hatching makes Florida carpenter ants turn from fighting to hunting for food.

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  3. Humans

    Humans’ maternal ancestors may have arisen 200,000 years ago in southern Africa

    New DNA findings on humankind’s maternal roots don’t offer a complete picture of how and when Homo sapiens emerged.

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  4. Health & Medicine

    A precision drug for prostate cancer may slow the disease’s spread

    The drug olaparib could be used to treat men with certain genetic mutations and severe types of prostate cancer, a clinical trial finds.

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  5. Archaeology

    Ancient European households combined the rich and poor

    Homes combined “haves” and “have-nots” in a male-run system, suggests a study that challenges traditional views of ancient social stratification.

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  6. Life

    How tardigrades protect their DNA to defy death

    Tardigrades encase their DNA in a cloud of protective protein to shield from damage by radiation or drying out.

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  7. Genetics

    Stanley Qi gives CRISPR a makeover to redefine genetic engineering

    By adapting CRISPR/Cas9, Stanley Qi has given genetic engineers a plethora of new tools.

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  8. Genetics

    Dog behaviors like aggression and fearfulness are linked to breed genetics

    A study looking at how 101 dog breeds behave finds a strong association between genetics and 14 personality traits.

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  9. Humans

    Personalized diets may be the future of nutrition. But the science isn’t all there yet

    How a person responds to food depends on more than the food itself. But what exactly is still a confusing mix of genes, microbes and other factors.

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  10. Life

    Losing genes may have helped whales’ ancestors adapt to life under the sea

    Jettisoning genes tied to saliva and the lungs, among others, could have smoothed ancient cetaceans’ land-to-water transition 50 million years ago.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    Disabling one protein might one day lead to a cure for the common cold

    Scientists have identified a protein in humans that some viruses, including those that cause colds, need to spread.

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  12. Plants

    Why tumbleweeds may be more science fiction than Old West

    A tumbleweed is just a maternal plant corpse giving her living seeds a chance at a good life somewhere new.

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