Genetics

  1. Anthropology

    DNA points to millennia of stability in East Asian hunter-fisher population

    Ancient hunter-gatherers in East Asia are remarkably similar, genetically, to modern people living in the area. Unlike what happened in Western Europe, this region might not have seen waves of farmers take over.

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  2. Genetics

    CRISPR used in cows to help fight tuberculosis

    Chinese researchers used a CRISPR/Cas 9 gene editor to make cows more resistant to tuberculosis.

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  3. Genetics

    CRISPR used in cows to help fight tuberculosis

    Chinese researchers used a CRISPR/Cas 9 gene editor to make cows more resistant to tuberculosis.

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  4. Plants

    Big genetics study blazes path for bringing back tomato flavor

    Combining taste tests with genetics suggests what makes heirloom varieties tastier than mass-market tomatoes.

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  5. Animals

    Tales of creatures large and small made news this year

    Scientists filled in the details of some famous evolutionary tales in 2016 — and discovered a few surprises about creatures large and small.

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  6. Life

    Force-detecting protein senses when lungs fill with air

    A study in mice pinpoints a force-detecting protein that regulates breathing, previously implicated in touch.

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  7. Genetics

    50 years ago, alcohol use was linked to several gene variants

    50 years later, scientists are still searching for genes that influence drinking.

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  8. Genetics

    Proteins that reprogram cells can turn back mice’s aging clock

    Proteins that reprogram adult cells to an embryonic-like state can rejuvenate prematurely aging mice.

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  9. Animals

    Genome clues help explain the strange life of seahorses

    Researchers have decoded the genetic instruction manual of a seahorse (Hippocampus comes) and found clues to its nearly 104-million-year evolutionary history.

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  10. Genetics

    Year in review: ‘Three-parent baby’ technique raises hope and concern

    Safety and ethical concerns surround controversial mitochondrial replacement therapy.

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  11. Genetics

    Year in review: How humans populated the globe

    DNA studies put new twists on timing of ancient human migrations – but genetics alone are not enough to tell the full story.

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  12. Life

    Year in review: ‘Minimal genome’ makes its debut

    A synthetic cell reported this year jettisons unnecessary genes and embraces human design principles.

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