Genetics

  1. Genetics

    Easter Islanders sailed to Americas, DNA suggests

    Genetic ties among present-day populations point to sea crossings centuries before European contact with Easter Island.

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  2. Humans

    Oldest human DNA narrows time of Neandertal hookups

    A 45,000-year-old Siberian bone provides genetic clues about the timing of interbreeding between ancient humans and Neandertals.

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  3. Humans

    Anglo-Saxons left language, but maybe not genes to modern Britons

    Modern Britons may be more closely related to Britain’s indigenous people than they are to the Anglo-Saxons, a new genetic analysis finds.

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  4. Genetics

    Camels’ number of humps may affect their fat storage

    The number of humps camels and alpacas have may play a role in how well they store and break down fat.

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  5. Genetics

    Gene variant helps dog evade muscular dystrophy

    A dog that has a mutation causing muscular dystrophy has another genetic variant that appears to counteract the disease.

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  6. Genetics

    House fly’s genome hints at detox genes

    The house fly's DNA instructions include extra genes that may help detoxify and decompose animal waste.

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  7. Health & Medicine

    Impotence drug boosts insulin in some with diabetes

    A drug called yohimbine lets some people with diabetes secrete more insulin by stopping pancreas cells from binding adrenaline molecules.

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  8. Genetics

    Yeast smell underpins partnership with fruit flies

    Yeast make fruity aromas that draw flies, which disperse the fungi. Researchers reveal the gene that underpins the mutually beneficial relationship.

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  9. Animals

    Monarch butterflies’ ancestors migrated

    The earliest monarch butterflies originated in North America and were migratory. Some of the insects later lost that ability as they moved into the tropics, a genetic analysis finds.

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  10. Genetics

    Genetic data rewrite the prehistory of Europe

    The genomes of nine ancient and 2,345 living humans have changed the story of modern Europeans' origins.

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  11. Life

    Vagina bacteria make molecules that could be drugs

    Microbes on the human body are capable of producing thousands of small molecules that hold potential as drugs.

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  12. Genetics

    Molecular biologist honors ancient bones

    After deciphering an ancient skeleton’s genetic secrets, molecular biologist Sarah Anzick helped reinter the remains.

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