The genomes of monkeys, bats, whales and many other mammals are helping scientists tackle big questions about physiology, evolution and one very famous sled dog.
Tag: Genetics and Heredity
Untangling Rosalind Franklin’s Role in DNA Discovery, 70 Years On
Historians have long debated the role that Dr. Franklin played in identifying the double helix. A new opinion essay argues that she was an “equal contributor.”
Bird Flu Sample from Chilean Man Showed Some Signs of Adaptation to Mammals
These changes were unlikely to be enough to allow the virus to spread easily among humans, and the health risk to the public remains low, experts said.
DNA Confirms Oral History of Swahili People
A genetic analysis of dozens of ancient skeletons from East Africa helps pin down the origins of coastal Swahili society.
Report of Wuhan Market Samples Found Covid and Raccoon Dog Genetic Material
In a much-anticipated study, experts described a swab that was positive for the coronavirus and contained loads of genetic material from raccoon dogs.
A Dilemma for Governments: How to Pay for Million-Dollar Therapies
A wave of transformative but hugely expensive treatments is challenging the budgets of health systems in wealthy nations. Now countries with far fewer resources are wrestling with how to cover the therapies.
What Drove the Creation of Working Dog Breeds?
Genetic variants associated with brain development help distinguish breeds designed for different physical tasks, a new study reports.
Paid to Fight, Even in Ancient Greece
DNA from a 2,500-year-old battlefield in Sicily reveals that mercenary soldiers were common, if not the Homeric ideal.
Nobel Prize Awarded to Scientist Who Sequenced Neanderthal Genome
Svante Pääbo, a Swedish geneticist, was honored for work that created a new field of ancient DNA studies and identified populations at higher risk of disease.
Cracking the Case of the Giant Fern Genome
Scientists have sequenced complete fern genomes for the first time, to learn why the plants have twice as much DNA as humans.