Matter: Gene Linked to Obesity Hasn't Always Been a Problem, Study Finds
The relative importance of certain genes may shift over the years as our environment changes, the study suggests.
From the NYTimes News-2015-1-1:8:5:1
Fingerprint 'cloned from photos'
Hacker Jan Krissler claims to have cloned the fingerprint of a German politician using standard photographs taken at an event.
From the BBC News-2014-12-29:20:6:1
In a New Approach to Fighting Disease, Helpful Genetic Mutations Are Sought
After years of looking for genetic mutations that cause diseases, investigators are now searching for those that prevent them.
From the NYTimes News-2014-12-28:20:6:1
Matter: White? Black? A Murky Distinction Grows Still Murkier
There is a long tradition of trying to draw sharp lines between ethnic groups, but our ancestry is a fluid and complex matter, geneticists say.
From the NYTimes News-2014-12-24:14:6:1
Inquiry in Anthrax Mailings Had Gaps, Report Says
A congressional inquiry into the F.B.I.'s scientific work on the anthrax mailings of 2001 has identified major gaps in genetic evidence that purportedly links the germs to Bruce E. Ivins.
From the NYTimes News-2014-12-20:8:5:1
7ft marine reptile fossil beach find
An amateur fossil hunter has unearthed a 7ft skeleton of a carnivorous marine reptile on a beach in south Wales.
From the BBC News-2014-12-19:8:5:1
Experts race to save white rhino
An international team of experts is engaged in a last ditch effort to save the northern white rhino from extinction.
From the BBC News-2014-12-16:14:6:1
Reactions: Darwin in Space, Dying Well, Eating the Cure
Letters to the editor and online comments.
From the NYTimes News-2014-12-15:20:6:1
DNA scientist to get back sold Nobel
Russia's richest man Alisher Usmanov reveals that he bought US scientist James Watson's Nobel Prize gold medal in order to return it to him.
From the BBC News-2014-12-10:8:5:1
Watson's DNA Nobel sells for $4.8m
James Watson has sold the Nobel Prize medal he won for the discovery of the structure of DNA.
From the BBC News-2014-12-5:14:6:1
Watson's Nobel Prize Medal for Decoding DNA Fetches $4.1 Million at an Auction
For Dr. James D. Watson, a co-winner of the prize for the discovery of the structure of DNA, the sale became part of an effort to redeem himself for making offensive remarks about black people.
From the NYTimes News-2014-12-5:8:5:1
Shell has 'earliest human engraving'
Zig-zag patterns on a fossilised shell in Indonesia may be the earliest known engravings by a human ancestor, scientists say.
From the BBC News-2014-12-4:14:6:1
Genetic diversity of Africa revealed
Scientists have completed a comprehensive study of genetic diversity in Sub-Saharan Africa.
From the BBC News-2014-12-4:8:5:1
James Watson Puts Nobel Medal on Auction Block at Christie's
James D. Watson's 1962 award, for the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA, is expected to sell for at least $2.5 million. In a 2007 interview, he made offensive remarks about black people.
From the NYTimes News-2014-12-4:8:5:2
VIDEO: Controversial DNA test comes to UK
A personal DNA test that has sparked controversy in the US launches in the UK.
From the BBC News-2014-12-3:8:5:1
Richard III DNA: Infidelity surprise
Analysis of Richard III's DNA has thrown up surprising evidence of infidelity somewhere in his family tree.
From the BBC News-2014-12-2:14:6:1
Books: 'The Invisible History of the Human Race' Provides Transparency on Our Genetic Heritage
Genealogy can reveal secrets about all of us, at once: the emergence of our species, the political history of the world, and the origins of the social structures that dictate modern life.
From the NYTimes News-2014-12-1:20:6:3
Controversial DNA test comes to UK
A personal DNA test that has sparked controversy in the US has been approved for use in the UK by regulators.
From the BBC News-2014-12-1:20:6:1
Sifting Through Genes in Search of Answers on Ebola
An old two-story brick building in a shabby part of Cambridge, Mass., formerly a distribution center for Budweiser beer, is now the world's most powerful factory for analyzing genes from people and viruses.
From the NYTimes News-2014-12-1:20:6:4
Observatory: Gray Seals Are Eating Into Porpoise Population
Gray seals are a major predator of harbor porpoises, according to DNA analysis of porpoise bite wounds.
From the NYTimes News-2014-12-1:20:6:2
Scientists make enzymes from scratch
Experts say they have achieved a scientific milestone - creating enzymes out of artificial genetic material that they made in their lab.
From the BBC News-2014-12-1:14:6:1
VIDEO: New threat to humpback whales?
Once hunted to near extinction, the humpback whales of the Canadian Pacific are back in larger numbers, and the government has downgraded their status from "threatened" to that "of special concern".
From the BBC News-2014-11-30:8:5:1
AUDIO: Horned dinosaur species identified
A new species of horned dinosaur has been identified from fossils held in a Canadian museum for 75 years.
From the BBC News-2014-11-26:14:6:1
Museum fossils are new dino species
A new species of horned dinosaur is identified from fossils held in a Canadian museum for 75 years.
From the BBC News-2014-11-26:8:5:2
Watson to sell Nobel Prize for DNA
Prof James Watson is to auction off the Nobel Prize medal he won for the discovery of the structure of DNA.
From the BBC News-2014-11-26:8:5:1
Global Health: Snakes Leave Identity Within Their Fang Marks
DNA information can show what kind of antivenin to use, or if one is even needed.
From the NYTimes News-2014-11-17:20:6:1
Tefé Journal: Fishermen in Brazil Save a River Goliath, and Their Livelihoods
Efforts to save the pirarucu, one of the world's largest freshwater fish, have been a success while offering a strategy for fending off a broader freshwater extinction crisis.
From the NYTimes News-2014-11-13:20:6:1
Keeping Mates Close and Competition Out in an Ocean Sponge
Evolution has come up with many strategies for successful mating. For one kind of marine crustacean, that means a game of cat and mouse with mates and competitors.
From the NYTimes News-2014-11-13:14:6:1
Mind-controlled gene switch made
A study shows that human brainwaves can wirelessly activate light-sensitive genes implanted in mice.
From the BBC News-2014-11-11:14:6:1
Larry Agenbroad, Paleontologist at Mammoths' Graveyard, Dies at 81
Dr. Agenbroad presided over a decades-long excavation in South Dakota that gave rise to the Mammoth Site museum and continues to yield fossils.
From the NYTimes News-2014-11-8:8:5:1
Observatory: Signs of the Evolutionary Step Ichthyosaurs Took From Land to Sea
Ichthyosaurs, which loosely resembled dolphins, have long been an evolutionary mystery. Now, researchers say they have recovered an early Ichthyosaur fossil that may fill in the blanks.
From the NYTimes News-2014-11-6:20:6:2
First Europeans 'weathered Ice Age'
The genetic ancestry of the earliest Europeans survived the last Ice Age, DNA analysis suggests.
From the BBC News-2014-11-6:20:6:1
Madagascar Fossil Offers Clues in Evolution of Mammals
The skull fossil is from a newly discovered extinct species, Vintana, similar to groundhogs, that lived in the time of the dinosaurs, and is only the third mammal fossil found in the Southern Hemisphere.
From the NYTimes News-2014-11-5:14:6:2
Limb cells 'can turn into genitals'
A new study offers insights into the genetic changes that allowed land-dwelling animals to develop sex organs.
From the BBC News-2014-11-5:14:6:1
Egg shape clue to bird survival
The shape of birds' eggs could have helped them survive the mass extinction event that killed off the dinosaurs, new research proposes.
From the BBC News-2014-11-5:8:5:1
In 'Undeniable,' Bill Nye Speaks Evolution Directly to Creationists
Bill Nye, well known as a televised educator and sometimes firebrand for science, follows a very public debate for evolution against creationism with a new book on the divide.
From the NYTimes News-2014-11-3:20:6:1
All human genes get three-to-five-letter symbols for easier reference, though they may seem abstract.
From the NYTimes News-2014-11-3:14:6:1
Genes Influence Ebola Infections in Mice, Study Suggests
For the first time, scientists have bred mice that developed Ebola infections resembling those in humans and found that genes affect how the animals react to the virus.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-30:20:6:1
Matter: From Ancient DNA, a Clearer Picture of Europeans Today
New studies of genomes thousands of years old have allowed scientists to see bits of history playing out over time, revealing that Europeans today have genes from three very different populations.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-30:14:6:1
Two genes linked with violent crime
Two genes are associated with repeat violent offenders, according to a genetic analysis of almost 900 criminals in Finland.
From the BBC News-2014-10-28:8:5:1
Paper test can detect Ebola strains
DNA-programmed blotting paper could soon be giving doctors a simple disease test that will reveal an infection in 30 minutes for just a few pence.
From the BBC News-2014-10-26:20:6:1
Dot Earth Blog: Can Genetics and Breeding Do for Cassava What They've Done For Corn?
Bill Gates explores non-GMO genetic research boosting corn and cassava yields.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-23:14:6:3
Monster shark 'kept whales in check'
The extinction of the biggest shark known to science may have triggered whales to grow to their current hefty sizes, a study suggests.
From the BBC News-2014-10-23:14:6:1
Observatory: Competition Drives Quick Evolution of Lizard's Feet
A type of lizard in Florida took just 20 generations to evolve feet better suited to climbing trees, a new study suggests.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-23:14:6:2
Mystery of giant arm dinosaur solved
Two dinosaur skeletons have been unearthed in Mongolia, solving a mystery that has baffled palaeontologists for 50 years.
From the BBC News-2014-10-23:8:5:1
Matter: Man's Genome From 45,000 Years Ago Is Reconstructed
The genetic material, extracted from a Siberian fossil, supported a hypothesis that early humans interbred with Neanderthals, and their interaction occurred between 50,000 and 60,000 years ago.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-22:20:6:1
DNA yields secrets of human pioneer
DNA analysis of a 45,000-year-old human has helped scientists pinpoint when our ancestors interbred with Neanderthals.
From the BBC News-2014-10-22:14:6:1
Well: Genetic Variant May Shield Latinas From Breast Cancer
A new study's findings may explain why Hispanic women have lower rates of breast cancer than other Americans.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-21:8:5:1
"The Hot Zone," the nonfiction thriller about Ebola that Richard Preston wrote 20 years ago, is back on best-seller lists.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-20:14:6:1
VIDEO: New dinosaur 'may be in T-Rex family'
Scientists think that a newly discovered species of dinosaur, whose remains were found after 20 years of excavation in Venezuela, maybe related to the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
From the BBC News-2014-10-18:14:6:1
Op-Ed Contributor: Resurrecting Smallpox? Easier Than You Think
The virus's genome is already online. You just need the right lab.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-16:8:5:1
Observatory: A Threat Is Seen in Pumas' Isolation
Human development is causing a sharp decline in genetic diversity among mountain lions in Southern California, a study says, and could make them less resilient to change.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-13:20:6:2
On View: 'Haunted Files: The Eugenics Record Office' Recreates a Dark Time in a Laboratory's Past
A new exhibit recreates the Eugenics Record Office, where scientists once applied rudimentary genetics to singling out supposedly superior races and degrading minorities.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-13:20:6:1
Fossils from 'oldest Parisian'
Scientists unearthed rare, ancient human remains in silts close to the River Seine in France.
From the BBC News-2014-10-9:14:6:1
Matter: Turning to Darwin to Solve the Mystery of Invasive Species
A new study suggests that some parts of the world are evolutionary incubators, producing superior competitors primed to thrive in other environments.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-9:14:6:2
Finding Clues in Genes of 'Exceptional Responders'
Some people respond to drug treatments much better than others. Now researchers are studying "exceptional responders" in an attempt to help all patients.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-9:8:5:1
Observatory: 52 Million Years Old, and an Ant's Worst Enemy
Researchers have discovered the fossil of a 52-million-year-old beetle that lived alongside ants, preying on their eggs and usurping resources.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-6:20:6:2
Height differences 'caused by DNA'
Many subtle DNA changes could explain why some people are taller than others, according to the largest ever study of the genetics behind height.
From the BBC News-2014-10-6:20:6:1
Matter: The Evolution of Sleep: 700 Million Years of Melatonin
A new study suggests that humans' melatonin-driven sleep cycles started some 700 million years ago, in worms.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-2:8:5:1
Observatory: Why Some Monarch Butterflies Are Marathoners
Researchers find a gene that plays a critical role in determining whether monarchs are migratory, along with details about their origins and coloring.
From the NYTimes News-2014-10-1:14:6:1
Reactions: Nature in the Balance, Gene Tests, Artificial Sweetners and Diabetes
Letters to the editor and online comments.
From the NYTimes News-2014-9-29:20:6:1
Matter: A Tiny Emissary From the Ancient Past
Viroids, naked loops of RNA, attack crops and other plants today, but new research suggests they existed at the earliest stages of life on Earth.
From the NYTimes News-2014-9-25:20:6:1
Novel antibiotic class created
Scientists have designed a new class of antibiotic which seeks and destroys resistance genes in bacteria.
From the BBC News-2014-9-24:14:6:1
Ancient China fish 'nearly extinct'
The Chinese sturgeon, thought to have existed for more than 140 million years, is now on the brink of extinction, say local media.
From the BBC News-2014-9-15:8:5:1
'Giant swimming dinosaur' unearthed
A giant fossil, unearthed in the Sahara desert, has given scientists an unprecedented look at Spinosaurus - the largest-known carnivorous dinosaur.
From the BBC News-2014-9-11:20:6:1
Lasker Winner Calls for More Genetic Testing for Cancer
Mary-Claire King wins a prestigious Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation award and uses the spotlight to all for much wider genetic screening for breast and ovarian cancer.
From the NYTimes News-2014-9-8:14:6:1
VIDEO: 'Dreadnought' dinosaur biggest ever
Fossils unearthed in Argentina represent the most complete giant sauropod dinosaur ever discovered.
From the BBC News-2014-9-5:20:6:1
Study of Jewish Women Shows Link to Cancer Without Family History
Women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent who tested positive for cancer-causing genetic mutations have high rates of breast and ovarian cancer even without a family history of the disease, researchers said.
From the NYTimes News-2014-9-5:8:5:1
Matter: How Caffeine Evolved to Help Plants Survive and Help People Wake Up
In a new study, an international team of scientists has sequenced the genome of Coffea canephora, one of the main sources of coffee beans.
From the NYTimes News-2014-9-4:14:6:2
Dinosaur titan's big bone haul
Fossils unearthed in Argentina represent the most complete giant sauropod dinosaur ever discovered.
From the BBC News-2014-9-4:14:6:1
DNA overturns 30-year US convictions
Two US men who spent three decades in prison for rape and murder, one on death row, are released after new DNA evidence proves their innocence.
From the BBC News-2014-9-3:8:5:1
Economics 'driving language loss'
A thriving economy can lead to the extinction of some languages, scientists believe.
From the BBC News-2014-9-2:20:6:1
Tiny, Vast Windows Into Human DNA
In the fruit fly and the worm Caenorhabditis elegans, scientists have found a choreography of genes strikingly similar to human DNA, with the potential for insights into genetic disorders.
From the NYTimes News-2014-9-1:20:6:1
Dot Earth Blog: The Role of Social Media in Wiping Out Passenger Pigeons, and Conserving Species Now
Social media helped push the passenger pigeon to extinction. Now they may help forestall some species' vanishing.
From the NYTimes News-2014-9-1:14:6:1
New Study Offers Clues To Swift Arctic Extinction
A study seems to rule out assimilation as the reason for the sudden disappearance of the Paleo-Eskimo population that thrived alone for more than 4,000 years.
From the NYTimes News-2014-8-28:20:6:3
DNA tells story of Arctic peopling
A study of genetic sequences sheds light on the settling of the North American Arctic, from ancient "Paleo-Eskimos" to the modern-day Inuit.
From the BBC News-2014-8-28:20:6:1
Genetic clues to spread of Ebola
Scientists have tracked the spread of Ebola in West Africa, revealing genetic clues to the course of the outbreak.
From the BBC News-2014-8-28:20:6:2
Matter: Parasites Practicing Mind Control
A new study suggests that Toxoplasma can turn its host's genes on and off, influencing behavior.
From the NYTimes News-2014-8-28:14:6:1
Global coal 'binge' missed in data
The climate impacts of the world's fossil-fuelled power plants are being underestimated because of poor accounting, say researchers.
From the BBC News-2014-8-26:20:6:1
VIDEO: Rare duck needs new home
The world's rarest bird is facing extinction unless it finds a new home, say conservationists
From the BBC News-2014-8-26:8:5:1
Judge Blocks a Local Pesticide Law in Hawaii
The local law, which concerned the use of pesticides and genetically modified crops on the island of Kauai, was disallowed.
From the NYTimes News-2014-8-26:8:5:2
Looking at Twin Personality Through Look-alikes
When twins have similar personalities, is it mainly because they share so much genetic material or because their physical resemblance makes other people treat them alike?
From the NYTimes News-2014-8-25:20:6:1
Darwin's barnacles found in Denmark
A gift from the world-famous naturalist is to go on display in Copenhagen.
From the BBC News-2014-8-22:14:6:1
VIDEO: New dates rewrite Neanderthal story
The history of human evolution has been completely rewritten with the discovery that modern human beings and Neanderthals coexisted in Europe for much longer than previously thought.
From the BBC News-2014-8-21:8:5:1
Neanderthals in Europe Died Out Thousands of Years Sooner Than Some Thought, Study Says
The finding, aided by advances in radiocarbon dating, sharply narrows the period that Neanderthals and modern humans overlapped in Europe.
From the NYTimes News-2014-8-20:14:6:2
New dates rewrite Neanderthal story
A new study suggests that modern humans and Neanderthals co-existed in Europe 10 times longer than previously thought.
From the BBC News-2014-8-20:14:6:1
Maths helps find climate-proof crops
Researchers are developing mathematical models to help identify genetic material that could improve food crops' resilience to climate change.
From the BBC News-2014-8-16:8:5:1
Giant Amazon fish 'locally extinct'
A 10 foot long fish which used to dominate the Amazon river has been fished to extinction in a number of areas, a new study shows.
From the BBC News-2014-8-13:14:6:1
A type of genetically engineered fly which eventually kills itself off can be an effective method of pest control, according to new research.
From the BBC News-2014-8-13:8:5:1
Smallest insect genome sequenced
The Antarctic midge has the smallest insect genome sequenced to date, scientists discover.
From the BBC News-2014-8-12:14:6:1
Basics: African Wild Dogs, True Best Friends
Notwithstanding their name, African wild dogs are "true altruists," researchers say, essentially willing to sacrifice their lives for the pack, and are slowly coming back from near extinction.
From the NYTimes News-2014-8-11:20:6:2
Mind: Gene Strategy to Fight Alzheimer's Clears a Hurdle
Research suggests that reducing or neutralizing one variety of the APOE gene would not harm the brain, while making Alzheimer's less likely.
From the NYTimes News-2014-8-11:20:6:1
More than a hundred population genetics and human evolution researchers sign a letter in the New YorkTimes saying a recent book misrepresents their field.
From Genomeweb News News-2014-8-11:17:15:1
AUDIO: Scientists hail dinosaur discovery
Scientists from the University of Zurich and The Natural History museum have discovered a previously unknown species of dinosaur.
From the BBC News-2014-8-6:8:5:1
Stem cell scientist found dead
A Japanese scientist involved in a scandal over discredited stem cell research has been found dead in an apparent suicide.
From the BBC News-2014-8-5:20:6:1
DNA fingerprinting pioneer honoured
Prof Sir Alec Jeffreys, who invented genetic fingerprinting in 1984, receives the world's oldest science prize, the Royal Society's Copley Medal.
From the BBC News-2014-8-5:8:5:1
The biologists Peter and Rosemary Grant have spent four decades tracking finches on the cone of an extinct volcano and augmenting our understanding of evolution.
From the NYTimes News-2014-8-4:20:6:1
Matter: Having More Than One Set of DNA Carries Legacy of Risk
Mosaicism is more common than once thought and can lead to diseases in the children of those with more than one genome, a study says.
From the NYTimes News-2014-7-31:20:6:1
Observatory: Seals Surviving Climate Change Tend to Thrive
Antarctic fur seal populations are declining, and changing genetically.
From the NYTimes News-2014-7-28:20:6:1
Dinosaurs' extinction 'bad luck'
Dinosaurs might have survived if the asteroid that wiped them out had hit the Earth a few million years later or earlier, a new study suggests.
From the BBC News-2014-7-28:8:5:1
In Search for Killer, DNA Sweep Exposes Intimate Family Secrets in Italy
The search for the killer in a sensational murder case revealed personal details about a suspect and set off a debate about the risks of privacy violations in DNA searches.
From the NYTimes News-2014-7-27:8:5:1
'Fluffy' dinosaurs were widespread
A discovery of 150 million year old fossils in Siberia indicates that feathers were much more widespread among dinosaurs than previously thought.
From the BBC News-2014-7-25:8:5:1
Matter: Study Gives Hope of Adaptation to Climate Change
Research on flies in drier conditions indicates that some have the genes to survive longer over generations.
From the NYTimes News-2014-7-24:14:6:1
Genetic clues to age of first period
The timing of when a girl reaches puberty is controlled by hundreds of genes, say scientists.
From the BBC News-2014-7-24:8:5:1
Two rare Amur leopards born at zoo
A pair of Amur leopards, which zookeepers say are on the brink of extinction, are born at Leicestershire's Twycross Zoo.
From the BBC News-2014-7-23:8:5:1
Observatory: The Gene That Turns Worms Into Pavlov's Dogs
Japanese scientists working with roundworms found that those with a genetic defect in a specific insulin receptor did not learn to avoid unpleasant situations the way other worms did.
From the NYTimes News-2014-7-21:20:6:1
Matter: A Call to Fight Malaria One Mosquito at a Time by Altering DNA
Two papers published Thursday say the procedure, known as Crispr, can have wide benefits. But other experts worry about unintended consequences.
From the NYTimes News-2014-7-17:20:6:1
Gene Therapy Used to Create 'Biological Pacemaker' in Pigs
The technique, in which a gene is injected into the heart to reprogram cells, may one day be an alternative to electronic pacemakers, researchers say.
From the NYTimes News-2014-7-16:20:6:1
Four-winged dinosaur found in China
The largest ever four-winged dinosaur has been discovered in China, with remarkably long feathers on its hindwings and tail.
From the BBC News-2014-7-16:8:5:1
Do friends have similar genomes?
A study from US researchers suggests that friends are more genetically similar than strangers - to the same degree as fourth cousins.
From the BBC News-2014-7-15:8:5:1
After the Fact: Bigfoot and Yeti, as Elusive as Ever
Genetic testing of 30 samples of hair supposedly from a humanoid creature determined they were from other known animals, though two were from an extinct species.
From the NYTimes News-2014-7-14:20:6:2
Observatory: A 52-Million-Year-Old Window Into the Future
A fossil, only two inches long, discovered in British Columbia is determined to be of a hedgehog that lived 52 million years ago, during the early Eocene epoch.
From the NYTimes News-2014-7-14:20:6:1
Same genes 'drive maths and reading'
Around half of the genes that influence a child's reading ability also play a role in how easily they learn maths, say scientists.
From the BBC News-2014-7-10:8:5:1
Observatory: Ancient Bird Had Some Feathers Just for Show
A new fossil of a well-known early bird could help shed light on the evolution of feathers, researchers say.
From the NYTimes News-2014-7-7:20:6:2
Giant bird's fossil identified
The fossilised remains of the largest flying bird ever found are identified by scientists.
From the BBC News-2014-7-7:20:6:1
Early bird 'had feather trousers'
Fossil reveals early bird's feathered "trousers"
From the BBC News-2014-7-3:8:5:1
After Controversy, Stem Cell Research Papers Are Retracted
The journal Nature said the papers - which detailed an easy way to create stem cells - were error-filled and had not been verified by anyone else.
From the NYTimes News-2014-7-2:14:6:2
Altitude gene 'from extinct species'
A gene that allows present-day people cope with life at high altitude was inherited from an extinct species of human, Nature journal has reported.
From the BBC News-2014-7-2:14:6:1
Ash Forests After Emerald Ash Borers Destroy Them
The emerald ash borer is devastating trees from Minnesota to New York, and there is little scientists can do but study what effect the trees' extinction will have on the ecosystem.
From the NYTimes News-2014-6-30:20:6:1
The Brave New World of Three-Parent I.V.F.
A new treatment could sidestep certain hereditary diseases by altering the genetic makeup of the egg. Is there anything wrong with that?
From the NYTimes News-2014-6-30:14:6:2
Oldest faeces show Neanderthal diet
Analysis of a 50,000-year-old scrap of human faeces adds weight to the view that Neanderthals ate plants as well as meat.
From the BBC News-2014-6-30:14:6:1
A Conversation With Svante Paabo: Searching for Answers in Very Old DNA
The geneticist Svante Paabo created his own research field by sequencing the genomes of ancient humans.
From the NYTimes News-2014-6-25:20:11:1
Global Health: A Faster Way to Find the Origin of Malaria
A DNA "bar code" of 23 snips from the genes of parasites that cause malaria can help scientists quickly determine where they originated, British researchers report.
From the NYTimes News-2014-6-16:20:6:3
Computing Crime and Punishment
A trove of London trial data over more than two centuries, digitized and analyzed by algorithm, yield clues in the evolution of the British justice system.
From the NYTimes News-2014-6-16:20:6:1
Observatory: Pterosaurs, Flying Reptiles, Were a Social Lot
The discovery of intact eggs and pterosaur fossils in China suggests that the creatures nested in large groups.
From the NYTimes News-2014-6-16:20:6:2
Matter: A Long-Ago Ancestor: A Little Fish, With Jaws to Come
Metaspriggina is two inches long and 505 million years old, and scientists recently uncovered an extraordinary cache of its fossils.
From the NYTimes News-2014-6-11:20:6:1
Relics fused from natural and artificial substances could one day be markers of humanity.
From the NYTimes News-2014-6-9:20:6:1
Human remains found inside crocodile
Australian police are examining human remains recovered from a crocodile to see if they match the DNA of a missing man.
From the BBC News-2014-6-9:8:5:1
N.I.H. Seeks $4.5 Billion to Try to Crack the Code of How Brains Function
The National Institutes of Health's price tag stamps President Obama's Brain Initiative as an effort on the scale of the Human Genome Project.
From the NYTimes News-2014-6-6:8:5:2
George J. Armelagos, Anthropologist Who Told Skeletons' Tales, Dies at 77
Professor Armelagos was one of the founders of paleopathology, a discipline at the nexus of biology, medicine, evolution, archaeology and culture.
From the NYTimes News-2014-6-6:8:5:1
UN urges action on forest diversity
Vital forest genetic resources are coming under increasing pressure from human activities and climate change and face the risk of extinction, the UN warns.
From the BBC News-2014-6-5:20:6:1
DNA Test Indicates Camel-to-Human Transmission of MERS
The virus in a 44-year-old Saudi man who died in November was the same as that in an ailing camel he was tending, scientists report.
From the NYTimes News-2014-6-5:14:6:1
In First, Quick DNA Test Diagnoses a Boy's Illness
Researchers report sequencing DNA to identify an elusive pathogen within 48 hours, but experts say it will be years before widespread use of the method.
From the NYTimes News-2014-6-4:20:6:1
A genome for the blind mole rat
Scientists have sequenced the genome of the blind mole rat, a mammal that digs with its teeth, lives for 20 years and has never naturally developed cancer
From the BBC News-2014-6-4:14:6:1
VIDEO: Looking for the faces of our ancestors
Today we can all look online to find out who our ancestors were, and soon geneticists hope that DNA can show us their faces as well.
From the BBC News-2014-6-3:8:5:1
Smoking and cancer gene 'deadly mix'
Smoking and the breast cancer risk gene BRCA2 combine to "enormously" increase the risk of lung cancer, a UK-based study shows.
From the BBC News-2014-6-2:14:6:1
Crickets muted by evolution, twice
To help them hide from deadly flies, male crickets on two Hawaiian islands have separately evolved an inability to sing, biologists report.
From the BBC News-2014-5-29:14:6:1
Largest fossilised croc tooth found
The fossilised tooth of a prehistoric crocodile is recorded as the largest of its kind found in the UK.
From the BBC News-2014-5-29:8:5:1
Gene test for heart risk rolled out
A blood test for a preventable form of heart disease, caused by inherited high cholesterol levels, is being rolled out in the UK.
From the BBC News-2014-5-28:14:6:1
Craft Beer, at the Genetic Level
While brewing yeast is one of the best-studied organisms in molecular and cell biology, exactly how its genes translate to varied beers is still poorly understood.
From the NYTimes News-2014-5-26:14:6:1
Raw Data: A Creationist's Influence on Darwin
Decades before "On the Origin of Species," a theologian proposed - and rejected - a version of natural selection, and Darwin read about it in college.
From the NYTimes News-2014-5-23:20:6:1
Matter: A Theory on How Flightless Birds Spread Across the World: They Flew There
DNA analysis in a new study suggests that the common ancestor of ratites continued to fly even after the supercontinent Gondwana split into pieces.
From the NYTimes News-2014-5-22:20:6:2
Flies take time over tough decisions
A study shows that fruit flies take extra time over difficult decisions and a set of 200 neurons, marked out by a particular gene, may be crucial.
From the BBC News-2014-5-22:20:6:1
X-rays shine light on mystery 'bird'
A new 3D fossil-scanning technique inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci's camera obscura has produced the clearest images yet of Archaeopteryx, "the first bird".
From the BBC News-2014-5-22:14:6:1
VIDEO: Scans unlock secrets of 'first bird'
A new 3D X-ray fossil-scanning technique has produced the clearest images yet of Archaeopteryx, often described as "the first bird".
From the BBC News-2014-5-22:8:5:1
Christian College Faces Uproar After Bolstering Its View on Evolution
Bryan College now says Adam and Eve "are historical persons created by God in a special formative act, and not from previously existing life-forms."
From the NYTimes News-2014-5-20:20:6:1
Raw Data: Creation, in the Eye of the Beholder
For some of us, the apparent perfect symmetry of nature suggests an inventor. But evolution is messier and more roughshod than our own machines.
From the NYTimes News-2014-5-19:20:6:1
Retro Report: DNA Analysis Exposes an Inexact Forensic Science
Instances of wrongful imprisonment have made clear that microscopic hair analysis, a staple of forensics for years, was not as flawless as people had been led to believe.
From the NYTimes News-2014-5-19:8:5:1
VIDEO: 'Biggest dinosaur ever' discovered
Fossilised bones of dinosaur believed to be the largest creature ever to walk the Earth has been unearthed in Argentina, palaeontologists say.
From the BBC News-2014-5-17:14:6:1
Before DNA testing, prosecutors often relied on microscopic hair analysis to put criminals behind bars. But how reliable was it? Visit nytimes.com on Monday for the full story.
From the NYTimes News-2014-5-17:8:5:2
'Biggest dinosaur ever' discovered
A new species of titanosaur unearthed in Argentina is the largest animal ever to walk the Earth, palaeontologists say.
From the BBC News-2014-5-17:8:5:1
Prehistoric Skeleton in Mexico Is Said to Link Modern Native Americans to Siberians
DNA in the bones of a teenage girl in an underwater cave in the Yucatán show that she has an Asian-derived genetic lineage, researchers say.
From the NYTimes News-2014-5-15:20:6:1
1,000 crayfish released into river
More than 1,000 native white-clawed captive reared crayfish are released into a river in Powys in a bid to "save the species from extinction".
From the BBC News-2014-5-9:8:5:1
Matter: Antibiotic-Resistant Germs, Lying in Wait Everywhere
A study finds that genes that let bacteria survive drugs intended to wipe them out are widespread, even in the most isolated parts of the planet.
From the NYTimes News-2014-5-8:14:6:2
Lab bug extends 'life's alphabet'
Scientists produce a semi-synthetic version of a bacterium that has an extended genetic code.
From the BBC News-2014-5-8:14:6:1
Universe evolution recreated in lab
An international team of researchers has created the most complete visual simulation yet of how our Universe evolved.
From the BBC News-2014-5-7:14:6:1
Researchers Report Breakthrough in Creating Artificial Genetic Code
The accomplishment might eventually lead to organisms that make medicines or industrial products that cannot be made by cells with only natural DNA.
From the NYTimes News-2014-5-7:14:6:2
French action plan for wild hamster
Authorities in Alsace, France, are spending three million euros to help a type of wild hamster facing extinction.
From the BBC News-2014-5-7:8:5:1
Out There: Cosmic Connections in the Deep Sea
The sea is its own cosmos, and whatever meaning we can ascribe to the universe arose in its depths, the mysterious caldron of creativity and possibility, the restless sifting of chance, adaptation, survival and extinction.
From the NYTimes News-2014-5-5:20:6:2
At Chernobyl, Hints of Nature's Adaption
A long-term study of the Chernobyl fallout area has found that some bird species have adapted to the radioactive environment by producing more protective antioxidants, with correspondingly less genetic damage.
From the NYTimes News-2014-5-5:20:6:1
VIDEO: Trace back your DNA 1,000 years
A scientist claims he has a found a way of tracing where our DNA was formed, over 1000 years ago.
From the BBC News-2014-5-1:20:6:1
Pre-pregnancy diet 'affects genes'
A mother's diet can permanently alter the functioning of her child's genes, even before conception, say scientists.
From the BBC News-2014-4-30:8:5:1
Retro Report: Three Mile Island, and Nuclear Hopes and Fears
The disaster at a Pennsylvania plant fueled misgivings about nuclear power, as have those at Chernobyl and Fukushima. But the fossil-fuel alternative still holds great allure.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-29:8:5:1
From Volunteers, a DNA Database
The Personal Genome Project is gradually working its way toward 100,000 volunteers who are willing to have their genetic data in the public domain.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-28:20:6:1
The Continuing Evolution of Genes
Scientists have found that genes are still to emerging. Now they're trying to see why some quickly take on essential tasks, and others fall to the wayside.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-28:20:6:2
DNA fingerprint for legendary tree
Scientists produce a DNA "fingerprint" for a tree descended from one under which the Greek father of medicine taught his students.
From the BBC News-2014-4-28:14:6:1
The strange case of the 'time travel' murder
Strange London case helped to advance use of DNA evidence
From the BBC News-2014-4-28:8:5:1
Douglas L. Coleman, 82, Dies; Found a Genetic Cause of Obesity
Dr. Coleman upset scientific dogma by discovering that genes - not willpower, eating habits or other behaviors - could cause obesity in some people.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-26:8:5:1
New Tool to Fight Deadly Tsetse Fly
Sequencing the genome of one tsetse species took a decade, partly because tsetses have unusual biology and partly because of global health politics.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-24:20:6:1
Vermont Will Require Labeling of Genetically Altered Foods
Vermont's approval was hailed by food-safety advocates. Meanwhile, the biotech industry has drafted federal legislation to pre-empt any such state initiatives.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-24:8:5:2
Researchers See New Importance in Y Chromosome
Two surveys have reconstructed the full history of the shrunken male chromosome, which provides regulatory genes that play a role throughout the body.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-24:8:5:1
Researchers See New Importance for Y Chromosome
Two surveys have reconstructed the full history of the shrunken male chromosome, which provides regulatory genes that play a role throughout the body.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-23:14:6:1
The Map Makers: Mind Control in a Flash of Light
Karl Deisseroth is among a group of scientists who have been working on a way to turn brain cells on and off using genetic engineering and light.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-21:14:6:1
Scientists Report Advance in 'Therapeutic Cloning'
Scientists have moved a step closer to the goal of creating stem cells perfectly matched to a patient's DNA in order to treat diseases, they announced on Thursday, creating patient-specific cell lines out of the skin cells of two adult men.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-18:8:5:1
Matter: Plants That Practice Genetic Engineering
Long ago, a new paper suggests, a fern took a useful gene from a neighboring hornwort, an acquisition that allowed ferns to thrive in shade.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-17:14:6:1
Beard trend 'guided by evolution'
The boom and bust of men's beard fashions may mirror Darwinian selection, scientists say.
From the BBC News-2014-4-16:8:5:1
Moving a dinosaur skeleton across the US
From the BBC News-2014-4-15:8:5:2
VIDEO: How to prep dinosaur remains for a 2,000 mile road trip
How to prep dinosaur remains for a 2,000 mile road trip
From the BBC News-2014-4-15:8:5:1
European Union Debates Initiative on Embryo Protection
A hearing was held on a petition bearing 1.8 million signatures that would ban the use of European funds for activities such as stem-cell research.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-10:20:6:1
Exhibition Review: Natural History Museum Explores the Wonders of Pterosaurs
"Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of the Dinosaurs," an exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History, prompts reflection on the unpredictable nature of evolution.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-10:14:6:1
Phys Ed: Are You Programmed to Enjoy Exercise?
According to an eye-opening new genetics study of lab rats, the motivation to exercise - or not - may be at least partly inherited.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-9:14:6:1
AUDIO: Britain's first cloned dog is born
Britain's first cloned dog has been born after her owner won a competition offering the procedure for free.
From the BBC News-2014-4-9:8:5:1
For Space Projects, Zero Gravity
The Mars rover Opportunity, still operating after 10 years on the planet, and the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn are among the NASA missions facing budget extinction.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-7:20:6:3
A Conversation With: What Fish Teach Us About Us
Neil H. Shubin, the paleontologist who helped discover a fossil hailed as a missing link between sea and land animals, talks about his television series, "Your Inner Fish," and why he teaches anatomy classes.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-7:20:6:1
Fearing Punishment for Bad Genes
Many people at risk of serious inherited diseases would like to know if they carry the genes, yet fear a positive result could be used against them.
From the NYTimes News-2014-4-7:20:6:2
The origin of lions discovered
A new genetic analysis confirms where modern lions came from, scientists say.
From the BBC News-2014-4-2:8:5:1
Observatory: In Extra Rib, a Harbinger of Mammoth's Doom
The superfluous bone, seen in fossil samples, was a sign of inbreeding and harsh conditions during pregnancy.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-31:20:6:1
Synthetic DNA advance is hailed
Scientists have created the first synthetic chromosome for yeast in a landmark achievement for biological engineering.
From the BBC News-2014-3-27:20:6:1
Matter: Enlisting a Computer to Battle Cancers, One by One
Once you decode a tumor's genome, what's next? Oncologists hope that IBM's Watson will help them find drugs for patients' particular brain cancer mix.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-27:8:5:1
VIDEO: 'A deep misunderstanding of genetics'
Prof Steve Jones says Boris Johnson shows a "deep misunderstanding of genetics" when he talks about cornflakes.
From the BBC News-2014-3-26:14:6:1
Well: The Dreaded Turning-50 Test
Despite new evidence that colonoscopy is reducing cancer rates, the yuck factor is still high. A new alternative may be a DNA stool test.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-25:14:6:1
Monster turtle fossils re-united
Two halves of a fossil bone found more 160 years apart finally allow scientists to scale one of the biggest sea turtles that ever lived.
From the BBC News-2014-3-25:8:5:1
Observatory: No Monkeying Around for These Partners
Genetic analysis supports what observation had already suggested about the steadfast monogamy of Azara's owl monkeys in South American.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-24:20:6:2
After the Fact: Bird's Extinction Is Tied to the Arrival of Humans
Scientists have long assumed that humans played a role in the moa's obliteration. Now there's inescapable proof.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-24:20:6:1
AUDIO: Scientists find chicken-like dinosaur
US scientists have discovered a new species of dinosaur, nicknamed the 'Chicken from Hell.'
From the BBC News-2014-3-20:14:6:1
'Chicken from hell' dinosaur discovery
US scientists announce the discovery of a new species of dinosaur, which offers further clues to how the great beast became extinct 66 million years ago.
From the BBC News-2014-3-19:20:6:1
Raw Data: A Tumor, the Embryo's Evil Twin
Scientists have been finding that the same genes that guide fetal cells as they multiply, migrate and create a newborn child are also among the primary drivers of cancer.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-17:20:6:2
Scientist in the News: Shoukhrat Mitalipov's Mitochrondrial Manipulations
A scientist's procedures have shaken up the field of genetics, bringing promise to would-be parents while drawing the ire of bioethicists and the scrutiny of regulators.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-17:20:6:1
UK scientists call for new GM trials
There should be more UK field trials and fewer EU restrictions on genetically modified (GM) crops, a report commissioned by the prime minister says.
From the BBC News-2014-3-14:8:5:1
Skull fragments reveal new crocodile
Two fossilised fragments from a crocodile skull found on the Isle of Wight indicate the discovery of a new species, researchers say.
From the BBC News-2014-3-11:8:5:1
Campaign to help save juniper plants
A campaign is launched to help track juniper numbers across Scotland as figures show the plant could be nearing extinction.
From the BBC News-2014-3-10:14:6:1
Alejandro Zaffaroni, Biotech Entrepreneur, Dies at 91
The Uruguayan-born biochemist started more than a dozen companies and had a role in the development of the birth control pill, the nicotine patch and the DNA chip.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-7:8:5:1
A Genetic Entrepreneur Sets His Sights on Aging and Death
J. Craig Venter says his new company, Human Longevity, will focus on figuring out how people can live longer and healthier lives and will be the world's largest human DNA sequencing operation.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-6:14:6:1
Study Gives Hope of Altering Genes to Repel H.I.V.
A pilot study involving 12 people found that immune cells could be "edited" safely and that doing so sometimes helped fight infection.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-5:20:6:1
In Pursuit of Longevity, a Plan to Harness DNA Sequencing
The wealthy entrepreneur J. Craig Venter is starting a new company focusing on how people can live longer and healthier lives.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-4:14:6:1
Observatory: A Verdict of Murder
With the help of DNA analysis and a body scan of a mummy, scientists say that they have determined the cause of death of an Inca woman who lived centuries ago.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-3:20:6:2
A Powerful New Way to Edit DNA
A technique is stirring excitement while raising profound questions.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-3:20:6:1
Rare Mutation Kills Off Gene Responsible For Diabetes
Pfizer and Amgen teamed to develop drugs to mimic the effect, though it may take a decade or more before it is available to the public.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-2:20:6:1
Korean Scientist's New Project: Rebuild After Cloning Disgrace
Nearly a decade after his downfall for faking research, the South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk has won patents for his work in an attempt to resume studying human stem cells.
From the NYTimes News-2014-3-1:8:5:1
Dot Earth Blog: Feelings, Facts, Food and Genetic Engineering – A Fresh Look
A chef, a law professor, a scientist and two journalists discuss the role of genetic technology in our food system.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-26:14:6:1
Stunning whale graveyard explained
Scientists think they can now explain the astonishing discovery of a graveyard of fossil whales in Chile that accumulated more than five million years ago.
From the BBC News-2014-2-26:8:5:1
Last Neanderthal home is studied
An ice age site said to be one of the last known places Neanderthals lived is being studied to assess storm damage.
From the BBC News-2014-2-25:8:5:1
The Week: Clues to a Very Old Extinction and Why Calicos Look That Way
Science and health news from the past week, including a mass extinction 252 million years ago, vaccines and pizzas that don't spoil and clues to a cat's signature coat.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-24:20:6:1
A Forensic Approach to a Sidewalk Nuisance
Although some officials were not amused, many Neapolitans welcomed a new campaign to track down owners who do not pick up after their dogs by using the animals' DNA samples.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-23:14:6:1
Tourism hope for threatened lemurs
The world's most threatened primate could be saved from extinction by eco-tourism according to conservationists.
From the BBC News-2014-2-21:14:6:1
A Geologist Investigates a Mass Extinction at the End of the Permian Period
An M.I.T. geologist wants to understand how an estimated 96 percent of all species on Earth became extinct at the end of the Permian Period 252 million years ago.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-20:14:6:1
The Week: King Richard III's Eyes, and the Munchies
Scientists in England are trying to sequence a long-dead monarch's genome, and European researchers find more evidence that marijuana increases the appetite.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-17:20:6:1
GM potatoes defeat 'biggest threat'
British scientists have developed genetically modified potatoes that are resistant to the vegetable's biggest threat - blight.
From the BBC News-2014-2-16:20:6:1
Disgraced Scientist Granted U.S. Patent for Work Found to be Fraudulent
Dr. Hwang Woo-suk of South Korea received the patent for the method by which he claimed in 2004 to have extracted stem cells from cloned human embryos.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-15:8:5:1
Scientists Hope to Sequence Genome of Richard III
About a year and a half after finding the king's corpse, British researchers will grind up his bones in hopes of discovering, for example, what bacteria he might have been hosting.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-14:14:6:1
Tracing Ancestry, Team Produces Genetic Atlas of Human Mixing Events
Geneticists using new statistical approaches have taken a first shot at both identifying and dating the major population mixture events of the past 4,000 years.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-13:20:6:1
Ancient American's genome mapped
Present-day Native Americans are descended from some of the continent's earliest settlers, a genetic study suggests.
From the BBC News-2014-2-13:14:6:1
Ancient reptile's birth fossilised
A rare fossil reveals how marine reptiles evolved to give birth to live young, say scientists.
From the BBC News-2014-2-13:8:5:1
Scientists to Try to Sequence Richard III's Genetic Code
About a year and a half after finding the king's corpse, British researchers will grind up his bones in hopes of discovering his hair and eye color and what bacteria he might have been hosting.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-12:20:6:1
Modified Corn a Step Closer to Approval in Europe
If, as expected, the engineered corn gets a go-ahead for cultivation, genetic modification will remain a sensitive issue for Europe and the United States during trade talks.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-12:8:5:1
EU defies opposition to GM maize
The EU is set to approve a new type of genetically modified maize for cultivation despite huge opposition.
From the BBC News-2014-2-11:14:6:1
Australia GM crops row goes to court
An Australian farmer is suing after his farm was allegedly contaminated by genetically modified crops blown over from his neighbour's farm.
From the BBC News-2014-2-11:8:5:1
A Conversation With: 'The Sixth Extinction' Looks at Human Impact on the Environment
In "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History," the New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert asks science-based questions about whether humans might be causing mass extinction.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-10:20:6:2
The Week: Debating Evolution and Dealing With Climate Change
Recent developments in health and science news. This week: A deadly bird flu in China causes alarm and researchers suggest revising guideline on intervention during labor.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-10:20:6:3
Stellar archaeologists have found some very old stars, hidden in space like a pharoah's tomb and holding secrets of the cosmos' chemical evolution.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-10:20:6:1
Television Review: In 'Questioning Darwin,' No Easy Answers
The HBO documentary "Questioning Darwin," features the views of those who reject Charles Darwin's theory of evolution while chronicling Darwin's own personal trials.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-10:8:5:1
Novelties: The Path to Reading a Newborn's DNA Map
As technology becomes more sophisticated, genomic sequencing will inevitably expand into the world of newborns. The process has both medical and ethical implications.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-9:8:5:1
W. Ford Doolittle wins Herzberg gold medal for work inmolecular genetics
For his major contributions to molecular genetics,including the study of lateral gene transfer, a key driver of microbial evolution.
From The Globe and Mail News-2014-2-7:10:37:1
Matter: A Catalog of Cancer Genes That's Done, or Just a Start
As the Cancer Genome Atlas project, started in 2005, comes to an end, scientists are debating where cancer research should go next.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-6:20:6:1
'Animal Pompeii' wiped out creatures
Scientists believe fossil beds in northern China are packed with the victims of a volcanic explosion much like that that hit the Roman City of Pompeii.
From the BBC News-2014-2-5:8:5:2
Speedy cyclists are better looking
Top performers in the Tour de France were considered better looking in an experiment that shows the power of evolution, say scientists.
From the BBC News-2014-2-5:8:5:1
Books of The Times: 'The Sixth Extinction,' on Endangered and Departed Species
Elizabeth Kolbert uses a rare rhino and crow and the stories of other endangered or already vanished species to illustrate the fallout of mankind's transformation of the ecological landscape.
From the NYTimes News-2014-2-3:8:5:1
Kercher trial: How does DNA contamination occur?
The Kercher trial highlights concerns over DNA
From the BBC News-2014-1-31:8:5:1
Matter: The Little Bit of Neanderthal in All of Us
Two studies show how the legacy of Neanderthals endures 30,000 years after their extinction, finding Neanderthal genes in skin and hair that may have helped humans evolve.
From the NYTimes News-2014-1-29:20:6:1
Neanderthals gave us disease genes
Genes that cause disease in people today were picked up through interbreeding with Neanderthals, a major study suggests.
From the BBC News-2014-1-29:14:6:1
AUDIO: Research 'changing cancer treatment'
The BBC's Tom Feilden and Cancer Research UK's Peter Johnson discuss The Institute of Cancer Research's new Centre for Evolution and Cancer.
From the BBC News-2014-1-28:14:6:1
Genetic Weapon Against Insects Raises Hope and Fear in Farming
Scientists, looking for new weapons against insect pests in farming, have developed gene-silencing agents. But skeptics are concerned about potential threats to nontarget insects and even humans.
From the NYTimes News-2014-1-28:8:5:1
Looks of early European revealed
Genetic tests reveal that a hunter-gatherer who lived 7,000 years ago had the unusual combination of dark skin and hair and blue eyes.
From the BBC News-2014-1-27:8:5:1
GM purple tomatoes heading for shops
The prospect of genetically-modified purple tomatoes reaching the shelves has come a step closer, with large-scale production under way.
From the BBC News-2014-1-24:20:6:1
VIDEO: Purple tomatoes: Food of the future?
Scientists in Norwich have developed a genetically modified purple tomato, which is being produced in Canada due to European hostility to GM foods.
From the BBC News-2014-1-24:20:6:2
VIDEO: Storms spark coastal fossil frenzy
There has been a sharp increase in the number of amateur fossil hunters in Dorset after storms eroded parts of the Jurassic coastline.
From the BBC News-2014-1-24:14:7:1
'Fish oil' GM plant bid submitted
Field trials of a genetically modified crop containing Omega-3 fatty acids normally found in oily fish could begin in the UK this year, after a field trial application is submitted.
From the BBC News-2014-1-24:8:5:2
Genetic clue to how limbs evolved
A new study sheds light on how fish evolved into the earliest land animals millions of years ago.
From the BBC News-2014-1-24:8:5:1
AUDIO: Gin firm in bid to save juniper
A gin-making firm offers grants to those willing to help protect Britain's juniper plants from extinction.
From the BBC News-2014-1-22:14:6:1
Seeing X Chromosomes in a New Light
Scientists have enlisted color coding in the effort to better understand X chromosomes, how they are shut down in certain cells and what it all means for men and women.
From the NYTimes News-2014-1-20:20:6:1
Sam Berns, 17, Public Face of a Rare Illness, Is Dead
Sam's life with progeria, a genetic disorder resulting in rapid premature aging, was the subject of a documentary film shortlisted for an Academy Award.
From the NYTimes News-2014-1-16:14:6:10
Guinea Worm Cases Drop by More Than 70%
Only 148 cases of Guinea worm disease, which is on the brink of extinction, were found in the world in 2013, the Carter Center announced Thursday.
From the NYTimes News-2014-1-16:14:6:9
Could this be sport's biggest battle yet?
From the BBC News-2014-1-16:14:6:8
DNA found in 1930 murder mystery
DNA could identify unknown victim in 1930s murder
From the BBC News-2014-1-16:14:6:7
Why criminal twins may no longer be safe
Can DNA help when a crime is committed by identical twins?
From the BBC News-2014-1-16:14:6:6
China cloning on 'industrial scale'
China pioneers the mass production of cloned pigs
From the BBC News-2014-1-16:14:6:5
Lions 'facing extinction in West Africa'
There has been a catastrophic collapse in the number of lions in West Africa, with only around 400 left in the region, a new survey suggests.
From the BBC News-2014-1-16:14:6:4
Iconic fossil's rear parts described
Scientists finally get to describe the back end of a key fossil illustrating the transition of animal life from water to land.
From the BBC News-2014-1-16:14:6:3
Science enters $1,000 genome era
The ability to sequence a human genome for just $1,000 has arrived, a US genetic technology company has announced.
From the BBC News-2014-1-16:14:6:2
Sight restored to partially blind man
Surgeons in Oxford improve the vision of six patients who would otherwise have become blind using a gene therapy technique.
From the BBC News-2014-1-16:14:6:1
Aiming to Push Genomics Forward in New Study
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals will sequence DNA from about 100,000 patients of Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania, seeking genetic variants linked to diseases that may provide clues to developing new drugs.
From the NYTimes News-2014-1-13:8:5:1
Matter: A Living Time Capsule Shows the Human Mark on Evolution
The resurrection of animals centuries old provides a look at how humans have affected the way wild species adapt.
From the NYTimes News-2014-1-9:8:5:2
Fish oil extracted from plant seeds
Scientists have genetically engineered plant seeds to contain Omega-3 fish oils and have incorporated the oils into salmon feed.
From the BBC News-2014-1-9:8:5:1
Fluorescence Is Widespread in Fish, Study Finds
The findings, that at least 180 species and 16 orders of fish are biofluorescent, have implications for their evolution and behavior.
From the NYTimes News-2014-1-8:20:6:1
Observatory: Mutant Petunias Sing the Blues
What makes some petunias blue? Researchers have discovered a genetic glitch that produces the different shade, and weakens the plants.
From the NYTimes News-2014-1-6:14:6:1
How journals like Nature, Cell and Science are damaging science
The incentives offered by top journals distort science, just as bigbonuses distort banking
From The Guardian News-2014-1-6:9:42:1
Bracing for Carp in Great Lakes, but Debating Their Presence
Asian carp, or carp DNA at least, may have arrived in the Great Lakes, and either way, the Army Corps of Engineers will issue a study proposing ways to keep the invasive species out.
From the NYTimes News-2014-1-5:8:5:2
A Lonely Quest for Facts on Genetically Modified Crops
When a bill to ban genetically engineered crops on the island of Hawaii was introduced, doubts nagged at Greggor Ilagan, a councilman, about what the risks were, if any, of the crops.
From the NYTimes News-2014-1-5:8:5:1
'Narrow escape' for storm fossil
A near-complete ichthyosaur skeleton discovered on the Dorset coast after Christmas storms was hours away from destruction, fossil hunters say.
From the BBC News-2014-1-4:8:5:1
Dot Earth Blog: Food, Genes and the Feeling of Risk
A writer focused on sustainable eating gives a mostly clean bill of health to GMO's. So what?
From the NYTimes News-2014-1-3:14:6:1