Human Genetics Features
Gene studies suggest ‘races’ may exist but sociologists push back, fearing stereotypes
Sociologists worry that research into population differences will create a new kind of racism while geneticists believe that social scientists ...
Birth of ‘living materials’ at MIT combines synthetic biology, materials engineering
Hot on the heels of the creation of bionic plants, MIT has announced the development of "living materials" using bacteria, ...
Can grapefruits be dangerous with drugs? The answer is in our genes
Many people believe that just because a food is unprocessed that it's safe. But many foods can interact with drugs, ...
How to dance to show off your genes–and catch a woman’s eye
Want to show off your excellent genetics on the dance floor? Well, biologists have figured out which dance moves are ...
Largest genome ever sequenced: Loblolly pine
A new record: scientists successfully sequenced the genome of the loblolly pine, a 100-foot-tall tree with 23 billion base pairs ...
Revisiting the “gay gene” controversy: Homosexuality is only a disorder if society makes it one
Earlier this year, findings shared at the annual AAAS meeting triggered a firestorm of "gay gene" headlines and reactionary op-eds ...
You can’t learn everything from your DNA, but what you can could save your life
Between false negatives and false positives, genetic testing isn't a perfect prognosticator. Even so, it can provide life-saving information ...
Personalized medicine may cost more than cures
Personalized medicine promises to offer targeted, individualized treatment to the masses. But what will it do to the pharmaceutical industry ...
Your genes give you a unique world of smells–1.7 trillion scents
Humans can distinguish between 1.7 trillion smells on average. Ed Yong blogs about it at National Geographic, revealing in the ...
Genetic mug shots created from DNA samples
Using a new technique, researchers can build photorealistic 3d images of people, virtual mugshots, based on just their DNA ...
Transhumanism in the crosshairs: The dark side of radical longevity
Will the radical longevity promised by futurists like J. Craig Venter allow us to create hell on earth, intentionally or ...
New York Times flunks genetic literacy challenge: No, mutations don’t kill-off genes
The New York Times failed a recent genetic literacy 'test' in a story on the genetic roots of diabetes ...
Evil twin of embryos: The tumor
Researchers are finding that the genes and biological mechanisms that guide the development of fetal cells within a fetus are ...
Chicken genomes and human history: What can the DNA of our animal associates can reveal about our past?
A new study uses chicken genetics to poke holes in the theory that Polynesians reached South America before Europeans. It ...
Resurrection ecology: Searching for ancient DNA
Scientists can revive thousand-year dormant mosses and they're searching for viable cells that would make it possible to revive extinct ...
Does success come from your parents? New book supports genetic determinism
A new book supports the idea that socio-economic success is mostly a result of genetics. The idea that humans behavior ...
Bionic plants developed at MIT focus on the “tech” half of biotech
Researchers at MIT have enhanced plants' abilities using nanomaterials, specifically carbon nanotubes. The cyborg plants can perform supercharged photosynthesis or ...
Angelina turns to another preventative surgery, based on BRCA1 mutation
Angelina Jolie's mutation-inspired preventative double mastectomy raised public awareness of the risks associated with BRCA1 mutations. Now, she's looking at ...
The selfish gene debate: The power of stories in science and society
Science writer David Dobbs wrote an article late last year calling for a new narrative to help us understand evolution ...
DNA and the masses: Genetics as identity
You can have your DNA sequenced faster, easier and more completely than ever before. ln light of these advances, it's ...
‘Fat gene’ stands falsely accused, offers lesson in gene-gene interactions
For much of the last decade, a gene called FTO has been touted as a 'fat gene'. Now it seems ...
23andMe slowed by FDA order, but the company (and personalized medicine) advances
23andMe's conflict with the FDA has slowed the stream of people subscribing to the service, but co-founder Anne Wojcicki thinks ...
Teen identifies rare mutation in her own cancer, champions new age of open-access genetics
Elana Simon, an 18-year-old high school student, has published a "groundbreaking" genetic study of her own rare cancer in Science ...
Acid bath stem cell method scientist retracts study
The researchers behind the acid bath stem cell method that caused a stir in January have asked to retract the ...
Elephant intellect: Genius in the largest brain on land
Scientists are finally probing the elephant brain to find out how cooperative problem solving, tool use, and even self-awareness can ...
Greater variety of pre-natal screenings now offered
The list of available pre-natal genetic screening tests is growing. The tests are non-invasive and generally have a low false-positive ...
Was Lamarck right? Epigenetic research suggests we might inherit learned traits. But how?
It seems almost certain that epigenetic effects -- an annotation to DNA that changes how genes are expressed -- can ...