Genetics

More Stories in Genetics

  1. Animals

    A single protein makes lovesick flies spill their guts

    Producing a male-specific protein in digestion-related neurons may have led to the evolution of an odd “romantic” barfing behavior in one species of fruit flies.

    By Sofia Caetano Avritzer
  2. Genetics

    This snail may hold a secret to human eye regeneration

    Golden apple snails can regrow full, functional eyes. Studying their genes may reveal how to repair human eye injuries.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  3. Plants

    Potatoes have their roots in ancient tomatoes

    Knowing potatoes’ origin story could help future-proof the crucial crop against climate threats.

    By Javier Barbuzano
  4. Health & Medicine

    Protein signatures may one day tell brain diseases apart before symptoms

    Blood tests could pave the way for distinguishing between Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and some dementias, aiding early treatment for brain diseases.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  5. Animals

    Greenland sled dog DNA is a window into the Arctic’s archaeological past

    A genomic analysis of Greenland’s Qimmeq dogs suggest they and their human partners arrived on the island centuries earlier than previously thought.

    By Jake Buehler
  6. Genetics

    Genetics reveal the origin story of East Asia’s favorite sweet bean

    The origin of red beans — also called adzuki — has been murky. A new study says Japan is where it all started.

    By Celina Zhao
  7. Anthropology

    ‘Dragon Man’ skull may be the first from an enigmatic human cousin

    Ancient proteins and DNA may peg a 146,000-year-old Chinese skull as the most complete fossil to date from Denisovans, a puzzling line of Asian hominids.

    By Bruce Bower
  8. Health & Medicine

    A genetic test may predict which weight loss drugs work best for patients

    Variants of obesity-related genes influence how much weight patients lose on specific weight loss drugs like liraglutide, two studies report.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  9. Health & Medicine

    Personalized gene editing saved a baby, but the tech’s future is uncertain

    The personalized CRISPR treatment could be the future of gene therapy, but hurdles remain before everyone has access.

    By Tina Hesman Saey