CURRENT HEADLINES



How ancient DNA may rewrite prehistory in India


Aryans are not the earliest or only source of Indian civilisation, suggests new research on genetic ancestry.

From the BBC News-2018-12-31:8:5:1




The Treatment Gap: In Rehab, ‘Two Warring Factions’: Abstinence vs. Medication


A reluctant evolution is taking place in residential drug treatment for opioid addiction. Here’s a look at one center’s wary shift.

From the NYTimes News-2018-12-29:14:6:1




World's rarest bird gets new home in Madagascar


Conservationists hope to save a species of duck called the Madagascar pochard from extinction.

From the BBC News-2018-12-28:14:6:1




Matter: ‘Spirits Won’t Rest’: DNA Links Ancient Bones to Living Aboriginal Australians


Museums around the world hold the remains of Aboriginal Australians, many of them stolen. Now geneticists may have found a way to return the bones to their homes.

From the NYTimes News-2018-12-19:20:6:2




Extinction Rebellion: The story behind the activist group


They've blocked bridges, held die-ins and closed roads - all in the name of stopping climate change.

From the BBC News-2018-12-19:20:6:1




Trilobites: Feathers and Fur Fly Over Pterosaur Fossil Finding


An analysis of two fossils would push back the origins of feathers by about 70 million years, but more specimens may be needed for confirmation.

From the NYTimes News-2018-12-17:20:6:1




Hastings dinosaur footprints exposed by cliff erosion


Dozens of well-preserved dinosaur footprints from at least seven species have been uncovered.

From the BBC News-2018-12-17:14:6:2




Pterosaurs: Fur flies over feathery fossils


The flying reptiles had feathers, and looked like brown bats with fuzzy wings, say scientists.

From the BBC News-2018-12-17:14:6:1




Mapping the Brain’s Genetic Landscape


Scientists have taken a step toward building a computer model of the brain’s genome, one that may help clarify the genetic roots of schizophrenia, autism and other disorders.

From the NYTimes News-2018-12-13:20:6:1




Matter: Narrower Skulls, Oblong Brains: How Neanderthal DNA Still Shapes Us


Two genes inherited from our evolutionary cousins may affect skull shape and brain size even today. What that means for human behavior is a mystery.

From the NYTimes News-2018-12-13:14:6:1




It Could Be the Age of the Chicken, Geologically


With 65 billion chickens consumed each year, the signature fossil of the modern epoch may be the leftovers.

From the NYTimes News-2018-12-11:20:6:1




Gene study unravels redheads mystery


Researchers at Edinburgh University carry out out the largest genetic study of hair colour to date.

From the BBC News-2018-12-11:14:6:1




MIND: Can We Really Inherit Trauma?


Headlines suggest that the genetic marks of trauma can be passed from one generation to the next. But the evidence, at least in humans, is circumstantial at best.

From the NYTimes News-2018-12-10:8:5:1




Mission to put millions of hidden fossils online


Museums including Washington's Smithsonian have set out to digitally record specimens in their collection.

From the BBC News-2018-12-9:14:6:2




'Digital museum' brings millions of fossils out of the dark


A global effort to digitally record millions of fossils is set to transform the study of evolution.

From the BBC News-2018-12-9:14:6:1




Trilobites: Seeking Clues to Longevity in Lonesome George’s Genes


The giant tortoise lived for more than a century, carrying genes linked to a robust immune system, efficient DNA repair and resistance to cancer.

From the NYTimes News-2018-12-8:8:5:1




Trilobites: The Genes That Make Parrots Into the Humans of the Bird World


Long-lived and clever parrots may be as different genetically from other birds as humans are from other primates.

From the NYTimes News-2018-12-7:14:6:2




Matter: The Planet Has Seen Sudden Warming Before. It Wiped Out Almost Everything.


In some ways, the planet's worst mass extinction — 250 million years ago, at the end of the Permian Period — may parallel climate change today.

From the NYTimes News-2018-12-7:14:6:1




Elizabeth Warren Stands by DNA Test. But Around Her, Worries Abound.


Since releasing the results in October, the ancestry issue clouding her possible presidential campaign has only intensified.

From the NYTimes News-2018-12-6:20:6:1




Fossil preserves 'sea monster' blubber and skin


Scientists identify fossilised blubber from an ancient marine reptile that lived 180 million years ago.

From the BBC News-2018-12-5:14:6:1




World's strangest sharks and rays 'on brink of extinction'


A shark that uses its tail to stun prey and a ray half the length of a bus are on the list of 50 species.

From the BBC News-2018-12-3:20:6:1




news analysis: Genetically Modified People Are Walking Among Us


And, so far, they’re just fine. America needs a sober debate about the pros and cons of Crispr instead of a paranoid ban on the technology.

From the NYTimes News-2018-12-1:20:6:1




Aaron Klug, 92, Dies; His 3-D Images of Bodily Molecules Won a Nobel


Born in Lithuania, raised in South Africa and working in Britain, he made large strides in understanding the structure of proteins, DNA and more.

From the NYTimes News-2018-11-30:20:6:2




600 Million Years Ago, the First Scavengers Lurked in Dark Ocean Gardens


The bizarre organisms of the Ediacaran Period have long puzzled researchers. Fossil discoveries suggest these ecosystems may have been more complicated than once thought.

From the NYTimes News-2018-11-30:20:6:1




Extinction crisis: Five things you should know


The United Nations biodiversity chief on why extinction is a "silent killer" and deserves more attention.

From the BBC News-2018-11-30:8:5:1




As China Seeks Scientific Greatness, Some Say Ethics Are an Afterthought


He Jiankui’s claim to have edited babies’ genes has caused soul-searching in China, where many believe scientists need more ethical supervision.

From the NYTimes News-2018-11-30:8:5:2




China Halts Work by Scientist Who Says He Edited Babies’ Genes


Officials said it appeared that He Jiankui’s work had broken Chinese law. Scores of scientists have called his conduct unethical.

From the NYTimes News-2018-11-29:14:6:1




What Makes That Steer So Big? Cattle’s Mysterious Genes


It also helps to be castrated and live a long time.

From the NYTimes News-2018-11-28:20:6:1




Chinese Scientist Who Says He Edited Babies’ Genes Defends His Work


The scientist, He Jiankui, said at a conference on Wednesday that his actions were safe and ethical. Some of his colleagues seemed unconvinced.

From the NYTimes News-2018-11-28:8:5:1




Chinese Scientist Claims to Use Crispr to Make First Genetically Edited Babies


The researcher, He Jiankui, offered no evidence or data to back up his assertions. If true, some fear the feat could open the door to “designer babies.”

From the NYTimes News-2018-11-26:20:6:1




Humans 'off the hook' for African mammal extinction


New research disputes a theory that early humans helped wipe out many large mammals that once roamed Africa.

From the BBC News-2018-11-22:14:6:1




11 Things We’d Really Like to Know: How Did We Get to Be Human?


Evolution did not draw a straight line from early hominins to modern humans. At one point, we shared the planet with a number of near-relatives.

From the NYTimes News-2018-11-20:8:5:1




Sigrid Johnson Was Black. A DNA Test Said She Wasn’t.


The surge in popularity of services like 23andMe and Ancestry means that more and more people are unearthing long-buried connections and surprises in their ancestry.

From the NYTimes News-2018-11-19:8:5:1




A ‘Time Capsule’ for Scientists, Courtesy of Peter the Great


A Russian zoological museum filled with centuries-old specimens finds renewed relevance in the age of genetics.

From the NYTimes News-2018-11-12:20:6:2




Mystery monkey: history of unique Xenothrix fossil revealed


A now-extinct monkey from Jamaica had South American roots, according to new DNA evidence.

From the BBC News-2018-11-12:20:6:1




Stephen Hawking’s Wheelchair and Thesis Fetch More Than $1 Million at Auction


Bids far exceeded expectations at the Christie’s auction, which also included items that once belonged to Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein.

From the NYTimes News-2018-11-9:8:5:1




Matter: Crossing From Asia, the First Americans Rushed Into the Unknown


Three new genetic analyses lend detail, and mystery, to the migration of prehistoric humans throughout the Western Hemisphere.

From the NYTimes News-2018-11-8:20:6:1




Revealed: The secret of the poet's daffodil


The DNA secrets of a flower thought to have inspired a Greek legend have been cracked by scientists.

From the BBC News-2018-11-5:8:5:1




How to save trees from extinction


The world is losing plants at an unprecedented rate with around one in five thought to be at risk of extinction. The race is on to store back-up copies in seed banks.

From the BBC News-2018-11-3:14:6:1




'Test tube trees': An insurance policy against extinction?


Why trees grown in test tubes could be the answer to preserving the world's forests for the future.

From the BBC News-2018-11-3:8:5:1




DNA project to decode 'all complex life' on Earth


Scientists set out to read the DNA of 1.5 million species, starting a "new chapter in biology".

From the BBC News-2018-11-1:14:6:1




World's longest DNA sequence decoded


A team of UK scientists have claimed the record for decoding the world's longest DNA sequence.

From the BBC News-2018-10-31:14:6:1




Trilobites: Deer Antlers Couldn’t Grow So Fast Without These Genes


Studying the genes that let deer quickly regrow their antlers could one day lead to treatments for people who suffer bone ailments like osteoporosis.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-31:8:5:1




Climate change is 'escalator to extinction' for mountain birds


A new study shows that rising temperatures drive the disappearance of mountain-top bird species in Peru.

From the BBC News-2018-10-29:20:6:1




Splosh! How the dinosaur-killing asteroid made its crater


When the dinosaur-killing asteroid struck Earth, it made billions of tonnes of rock move like a fluid.

From the BBC News-2018-10-25:20:6:1




Divide and Preserve: Reclassifying Tigers to Help Save Them From Extinction


Are there many subspecies of tiger, or only two? A correct accounting is the only way to preserve what is left of the animal’s genetic diversity, some scientists say.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-25:14:6:1




Stephen Hawking Auction: Bid on an Invitation to a 2009 Party You Might Not Be Late For


Starting on Oct. 31, Christie’s is auctioning 52 items that belonged to Dr. Hawking, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-23:20:6:1




Brazil museum fire: Prized 'Luzia' fossil skull recovered


It was feared that Luzia, a 12,000-year-old fossil, had been totally lost in the Brazil fire.

From the BBC News-2018-10-23:8:5:1




'Super-sized' mice threaten seabird colonies with extinction


Overgrown mice are killing millions of chicks on the remote Gough Island in the South Atlantic.

From the BBC News-2018-10-21:20:6:1




Most of ‘Luzia,’ a 12,000-Year-Old Fossil, Is Recovered After Brazil Museum Fire


The museum director said that 80 percent of the fossil had been found after a huge fire ripped through the National Museum last month.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-21:8:5:1




Geneticists Criticize Use of Science by White Nationalists to Justify ‘Racial Purity’


In a statement, the American Society of Human Genetics said “there can be no genetics-based support of claiming one group as superior to another.”

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-19:14:6:1




Why is this African village letting mosquitoes in?


The genetically modified insects are part of a project which aims to tackle malaria in Africa.

From the BBC News-2018-10-19:8:5:2




Jurassic-era piranha is world's earliest flesh-eating fish


A 150-million-year-old, sharp-toothed fossil is believed to be the world's oldest piranha-like specimen.

From the BBC News-2018-10-19:8:5:1




‘Could Somebody Please Debunk This?’: Writing About Science When Even the Scientists Are Nervous


It’s hard to find material online countering white supremacists’ claims that genetic research backs their beliefs up. I wanted to find out why.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-18:20:6:1




Trilobites: With Piranha-Like Teeth, This Prehistoric Predator Never Bit Off More Than It Could Chew


A fossil discovered in southern Germany is the earliest known flesh-eating bony fish.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-18:14:6:1




Scientists Catch Rare Glimpses of the Endangered Vaquita


An expedition in the Gulf of California yielded photographs and video of a species nearing extinction.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-17:14:6:1




Why White Supremacists Are Chugging Milk (and Why Geneticists Are Alarmed)


The appropriation of genetic research by those with extremist views on race has scientists grappling with how to respond.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-17:8:5:1




A long walk: New insight into history of dogs and humans


A study of ancient dog DNA shows man's best friend has been at our side for at least 9,000 years.

From the BBC News-2018-10-16:20:6:1




US senator Elizabeth Warren faces backlash after indigenous DNA claim


President Donald Trump goes on the attack after the Cherokee nation dismisses Elizabeth Warren's claim.

From the BBC News-2018-10-16:20:6:2




Most White Americans’ DNA Can Be Identified Through Genealogy Databases


A study found that it will soon be possible to identify the DNA of 90 percent of European Americans through cousins in genealogy databases.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-16:14:6:3




Thomas A. Steitz, 78, Dies; Illuminated a Building Block of Life


A Nobel laureate, he discovered the structure of a huge molecule crucial to translating genetic information into the proteins that make up living matter.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-16:14:6:4




The Results of Your Genetic Test Are Reassuring. But That Can Change.


Laboratories frequently “reclassify” genetic mutations. But there is no reliable system for telling patients or doctors that the results of their genetic tests are no longer valid.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-16:14:6:2




Elizabeth Warren Has a Native American Ancestor. Does That Make Her Native American?


The senator’s genetic analysis was sound, scientists said. But whether Ms. Warren may claim a cultural kinship with Native Americans is a very different question.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-16:14:6:1




The 'ugly duckling' fossil from the deep


Meet the baby reptile that is shedding new light on the giants that lived at the time of T. rex.

From the BBC News-2018-10-16:8:5:1




Rice 'safely conserved' in Philippines gene bank


Scientists say that more than 100 thousand varieties of rice have been safeguarded for the future.

From the BBC News-2018-10-11:20:6:1




One-off genetic test could detect heart attack risk


The test could help explain why people with apparently no risk factors can still have a heart attack.

From the BBC News-2018-10-9:8:5:1




A Mysterious Fossil Points to the Origins of Lizards and Snakes


The ancestors of today’s squamates were lost in time. Now paleontologists have identified the earliest known example: Meet Megachirella.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-8:14:6:1




Trilobites: Taming the Groundcherry: With Crispr, a Fussy Fruit Inches Toward the Supermarket


You may have never eaten a groundcherry, but with common gene-editing techniques it and other fruits may be more easily domesticated.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-5:20:6:1




Trilobites: Hidden Stories of Chinese Migration and Culture Found in Giant Genetic Study


Scientists reported an assortment of findings resulting from a sweeping and novel analysis of data from the prenatal tests of 141,431 participants.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-5:14:6:1




Q&A: A Tube of DNA? Not Pretty, but That’s Life


Extracting and purifying DNA is routine now, but the results are not particularly aesthetic.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-5:14:6:2




Matter: Deep in Human DNA, a Gift From the Neanderthals


The Neanderthals probably infected modern humans with viruses, perhaps even an ancient form of H.I.V. But our extinct relatives also gave us genetic defenses.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-4:14:6:1




Nobel Prize in Chemistry Goes to a Woman for the Fifth Time in History


Frances H. Arnold was awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work conducting the directed evolution of enzymes.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-3:20:6:1




Nobel Prize in Chemistry Is Awarded to 3 Scientists for Using Evolution in Design of Molecules


Frances H. Arnold of the U.S. received half the prize, while her compatriot George P. Smith and Gregory P. Winter of Britain shared the other half.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-3:8:5:1




Breakthrough Leukemia Treatment Backfires in a Rare Case


The groundbreaking treatment that genetically engineers a patient’s own cells to fight leukemia turned lethal in one patient, reversing his remission.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-1:14:6:2




Nonfiction: The Bizarre Tale of the ‘Dinosaur Artist’ Who Trafficked in Stolen Fossils


Paige Williams tells a panoramic story that has, at its center, a man who tried to sell a stolen Tyrannosaurus skeleton from Mongolia.

From the NYTimes News-2018-10-1:14:6:1




Quiz: Test your knowledge of evolution


There are many myths and misunderstandings about evolution - how much do you know?

From the BBC News-2018-9-25:8:5:1




Giving Malaria a Deadline


With a new genetic tool, scientists move a step closer to eradicating mosquitoes and the deadly diseases they carry.

From the NYTimes News-2018-9-24:14:6:2




Gene editing wipes out mosquitoes in the lab


Researchers have used gene editing to completely eliminate populations of mosquitoes in the lab.

From the BBC News-2018-9-24:14:6:1




Earliest animal fossils are identified


Scientists have identified the earliest known animal in the geological record.

From the BBC News-2018-9-20:20:6:1




Cane toad DNA breakthrough 'may help stop' toxic pest


It may help stop the animal's rapid and destructive march across Australia, researchers say.

From the BBC News-2018-9-20:8:5:1




Trilobites: Elephant Tusk DNA Helps Track Ivory Poachers


Researchers are examining the genetic data in seized elephant ivory to trace it back to the animals’ homelands and connect it to global trafficking crimes.

From the NYTimes News-2018-9-19:20:6:1




Luigi Cavalli-Sforza, 96, Who Tracked Genes Through History, Dies


Before 23andMe and Ancestry.com, he did groundbreaking work exploring how genes reveal where people come from and whom they’re related to.

From the NYTimes News-2018-9-19:14:6:1




Matter: Why Your DNA Is Still Uncharted Territory


Scientists are focusing on a relatively small number of human genes and neglecting thousands of others. The reasons have more to do with professional survival than genetics.

From the NYTimes News-2018-9-18:14:6:1




Trilobites: What 13,000 Patents Involving the DNA of Sea Life Tell Us About the Future


Whether a single private entity should be able to set the direction of how the genes of so many living things are used was a piece of a broader debate at the United Nations this month.

From the NYTimes News-2018-9-17:20:6:1




Saltmarsh Sparrows Fight to Keep Their Heads Above Water


Rising sea levels are bringing more nest-flooding tides that threaten to push the birds that breed in coastal marshes along the Atlantic Coast to extinction.

From the NYTimes News-2018-9-17:14:6:1




Nonfiction: A Nobel Laureate Asks What Makes a ‘Disordered Mind’


In his new book, the neuroscientist Eric Kandel explores the science of unusual brains, locating many of his answers in genetics.

From the NYTimes News-2018-9-17:8:5:1




Lasker Awards Given for Work in Genetics, Anesthesia and Promoting Women in Science


The coveted prize was awarded to a Scottish veterinarian, two scientists who championed an overlooked protein and a pioneering researcher who helped advance the careers of other women.

From the NYTimes News-2018-9-11:8:5:2




Basics: How Teeth Became Tusks, and Tusks Became Liabilities


Humans, mice, narwhals — most mammals rely on ancient genes to produce teeth and tusks. But the tuskless elephants of Africa show that nature can quickly alter the code.

From the NYTimes News-2018-9-11:8:5:1




Matter: Scientists Are Retooling Bacteria to Cure Disease


By manipulating DNA, researchers are trying to create microbes that, once ingested, work to treat a rare genetic condition — a milestone in synthetic biology.

From the NYTimes News-2018-9-4:8:5:1




What Artifacts Were in the National Museum of Brazil?


The items feared lost to a fire on Sunday include one of the world’s largest meteorites and the oldest human fossil from the region.

From the NYTimes News-2018-9-3:8:5:2




Fire Engulfs a Brazilian Museum, Threatening Hundreds of Years of History


The National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro housed more than 20 million items, including Egyptian mummies, dinosaur fossils and the oldest human fossil in the region.

From the NYTimes News-2018-9-3:8:5:3




Artificial intelligence used to predict cancer growth


A new technique picks out patterns in DNA mutation within cancers to forecast future genetic changes.

From the BBC News-2018-9-3:8:5:1




Saving the 'king of the birds' with DNA


Scientists believe a genetic code could help protect golden eagles in the wild.

From the BBC News-2018-8-31:20:6:1




Golden eagle genome study 'a conservation game changer'


UK researchers decode the golden eagle genome - the blueprint for the 'king of birds'.

From the BBC News-2018-8-31:14:6:1




Gene-editing hope for muscular dystrophy


The technique was used to restore a protein that people with the condition are unable to make.

From the BBC News-2018-8-31:8:5:1




A Fertility Doctor Used His Sperm on Unwitting Women. Their Children Want Answers.


Donald Cline, an Indiana doctor, may have fathered more than three dozen children. Decades later, they are finding one another through DNA testing sites.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-30:14:6:1




Trilobites: Before These Parasitic Wasps Finished Devouring Live Flies, They Became Fossils


In fly pupae that turned to stone, scientists found evidence that wasps have been infesting other insects for tens of millions of years.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-28:14:6:1




Q&A: How a Plant Ages


The genetic mechanisms that seem to influence human life span may also be at work in plants.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-27:20:6:1




Trilobites: The DNA of Extinct Cave Bears Lives On


Modern brown bears are carrying a bit of genetic material passed down from the cave bear, in a study that suggests extinction does not always vanquish a species’ genes.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-27:14:6:1




Dinosaur DNA clues unpicked by researchers at University of Kent


Dinosaurs may have their DNA to thank for why they stuck around so long on Earth.

From the BBC News-2018-8-26:14:6:1




Cave girl was half Neanderthal, half Denisovan


Genetic detective work gives a rare insight into the liaisons of early humans living 50,000 years ago.

From the BBC News-2018-8-22:14:6:1




Matter: A Blended Family: Her Mother Was Neanderthal, Her Father Something Else Entirely


Genetic analysis of bones discovered in a Siberian cave hint that the prehistoric world may have been filled with “hybrid” humans.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-22:14:6:3




Ancient fossil turtle had no shell


Scientists have found new evidence confirming that turtles once lived without shells.

From the BBC News-2018-8-22:14:6:2




Wheat gene map to help 'feed the world'


Researchers are set to develop higher yield wheat varieties requiring less water after making a gene map.

From the BBC News-2018-8-16:20:6:1




Trilobites: Paternity Tests at the Penguin House


New research challenges assumptions that some penguins mate for life, and suggests DNA testing is needed to avoid inbred captive populations.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-16:14:6:2




Trilobites: Trapped in 99-Million-Year-Old Amber, a Beetle With Pilfered Pollen


The discovery is among the strongest evidence in the fossil record that the insects pollinated prehistoric cycads, a plant that preceded flowering plants.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-16:14:6:1




Matter: The ‘Zombie Gene’ That May Protect Elephants From Cancer


With such enormous bodies, elephants should be particularly prone to tumors. But an ancient gene in their DNA, somehow resurrected, seems to shield the animals.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-14:14:6:1




They Thought Hemophilia Was a ‘Lifelong Thing.’ They May Be Wrong.


Experimental gene therapies have yielded promising results in early trials. But the drugs have left some patients wary, worried that success will not last.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-13:14:6:4




Feature: The Scientist Who Scrambled Darwin’s Tree of Life


How the microbiologist Carl Woese fundamentally changed the way we think about evolution and the origins of life.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-13:14:6:2




Winged reptiles thrived before dinosaurs


A newly discovered species of pterosaur that lived about 210 million years ago has been found in the Utah desert.

From the BBC News-2018-8-13:14:6:1




Clues to Your Health Are Hidden at 6.6 Million Spots in Your DNA


With a sophisticated new algorithm, scientists have found a way to forecast an individual’s risks for five deadly diseases.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-13:14:6:3




Coral reefs 'weathered dinosaur extinction'


Researchers have found that the algae living in coral reefs may have evolved 160 million years ago.

From the BBC News-2018-8-10:8:5:1




Trilobites: Friendly Foxes’ Genes Offer Hints to How Dogs Became Domesticated


A long-running experiment provides clues to genes that influence friendliness to humans.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-9:20:6:1




Trilobites: Fossils on an Australian Beach Reveal a Shark-Eat-Shark World


An amateur fossil hunter at first found a single shark tooth. It led to signs of a prehistoric shark feast.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-9:20:6:2




Matter: Marine Mammals Have Lost a Gene That Now They May Desperately Need


Dolphins, manatees, sea lions, elephant seals and other animals no longer produce an enzyme that protects land mammals against harmful chemicals, including some pesticides.

From the NYTimes News-2018-8-9:14:6:1




Lemur extinction: Vast majority of species under threat


The vast majority of lemur species, unique primates found only in Madagascar, are on the brink of extinction, say scientists.

From the BBC News-2018-8-2:8:5:1




Salmon fed genetically modified plants in nutrition trial


Researchers are feeding farmed salmon a genetically modified plant to see if it boosts omega-3 levels.

From the BBC News-2018-8-1:8:5:2




Trial to test if GM fed salmon are more nutritious


Researchers are feeding genetically modified crops to farmed salmon to see if it boosts their nutritional value.

From the BBC News-2018-8-1:8:5:1




What Is a Genetically Modified Crop? A European Ruling Sows Confusion


In Europe, plants created with gene-editing technologies will be stringently regulated as G.M.O.’s. But older crops whose DNA has been altered will be left alone.

From the NYTimes News-2018-7-27:20:6:1




‘Amazing Dragon’ Discovery in China Reshapes History of Dinosaurs’ Evolution


Fossilized remains of Lingwulong shenqi show that big herbivores with long necks reached East Asia and evolved earlier than scientists had thought.

From the NYTimes News-2018-7-26:14:6:1




Australia’s Endangered Quolls Get Genetic Boost From Scientists


“What we’re doing is nothing unnatural,” said the author of a study to produce quolls that don’t like the taste of deadly toads. “It’s just matchmaking.”

From the NYTimes News-2018-7-26:8:5:1




Gene editing is GM, says European Court


The European Court of Justice has ruled that altering living things using the relatively new technique of genome editing counts as genetic engineering.

From the BBC News-2018-7-25:8:5:1




Fish Will Start Losing Sense of Smell as Carbon Dioxide Levels Rise, Study Finds


Rising carbon dioxide levels will impair the animals’ ability to sense odors, change their behavior and alter gene expression, the study showed.

From the NYTimes News-2018-7-24:20:6:1




China fossil tells new supercontinent story


Scientists have uncovered a new dinosaur in China... and it's older than expected.

From the BBC News-2018-7-24:14:6:1




Matter: Many Genes Play a Role in Educational Attainment, Enormous Genetic Study Finds


More than a thousand variations in DNA were involved in how long people stayed in school, but the effect of each gene was weak, and the data did not predict educational attainment for individuals.

From the NYTimes News-2018-7-23:20:6:1




Basics: In Mozambique, a Living Laboratory for Nature’s Renewal


At Gorongosa National Park, scarred by civil war, scientists are answering fundamental questions about ecology and evolution, and how wildlife recovers from devastation.

From the NYTimes News-2018-7-23:8:5:1




Trilobites: White Clover Can Be an Annoying Weed. It May Also Hold Secrets to Urban Evolution.


The ubiquitous plant alters its defense systems in a tougher environment, prompting researchers to call it a perfect test species for study as urban areas expand.

From the NYTimes News-2018-7-20:14:6:1




Whale killing: DNA shows Iceland whale was rare hybrid


Genetic material proves that the animal killed off the coast of Iceland was not a blue whale but a rare hybrid.

From the BBC News-2018-7-20:8:5:1




Baby snake 'frozen in time' gives insight into lost world


The fossil of a prehistoric snake that lived alongside the dinosaurs has been found entombed in amber.

From the BBC News-2018-7-19:8:5:1




Trilobites: Fossils Trapped in Amber Offers Clues to the Origins of Snakes


A baby snake and snakeskin were preserved in two specimens found in Myanmar.

From the NYTimes News-2018-7-18:14:6:1




Does Wales hold the key for saving the puffin from extinction?


While the bird is dying out in parts of Europe, the population on one Welsh island is thriving.

From the BBC News-2018-7-17:14:6:1




Nation's botanical treasures to go on display


From Darwin's potato to the man who saved the daffodil. Pictures tell the story of the nation's plants.

From the BBC News-2018-7-15:8:5:1




Trilobites: New Clues to How the Biggest Dinosaurs Got So Big


A fossil found in Argentina that is more than 200 million years old suggests the most giant of dinosaurs existed earlier than paleontologists believed.

From the NYTimes News-2018-7-11:20:6:1




Fossil of 'first giant' dinosaur discovered in Argentina


Discovery of "first giant" shows how and when dinosaurs grew to such massive proportions.

From the BBC News-2018-7-9:20:6:1




Lord of the Rings toad on brink of extinction


A toad named after the Lord of the Rings character, Gollum, joins the list of species at risk of extinction.

From the BBC News-2018-7-6:8:5:1




The Lost Dogs of the Americas


Exhaustive DNA studies find that the dogs of European colonists completely replaced ancient American dogs.

From the NYTimes News-2018-7-5:14:6:1




The Online Gene Test Finds a Dangerous Mutation. It May Well Be Wrong.


Third-party analysis of raw DNA is not as rigorous as that done in a certified laboratory. But many consumers don’t understand that their results are not conclusive.

From the NYTimes News-2018-7-2:14:6:3




Koala chlamydia vaccine possible with DNA study


The strain is different to that found in humans, but a genome study hopes to provide clues to fight the infection.

From the BBC News-2018-7-2:14:6:2




Saving koalas: Gene study promises solution to deadly sex disease


Scientists fail to find a koala cuteness gene but DNA may lead to a vaccine for chlamydia in the iconic marsupial.

From the BBC News-2018-7-2:14:6:1




Genealogists Turn to Cousins’ DNA and Family Trees to Crack Five More Cold Cases


Police arrested a D.J. in Pennsylvania and a nurse in Washington State this week, the latest examples of the use of an open-source ancestry site since the break in the Golden State killer case.

From the NYTimes News-2018-6-27:20:6:1




Bird family tree shaken by discovery of feathered fossil


A beautifully preserved fossil bird from 52 million years ago is shaking up the family tree of the birds.

From the BBC News-2018-6-25:14:6:1




Can a DNA Database Save the Shrinking Forests of the Earth? These Scientists Hope So.


They hope to fight the thriving black markets for illegally logged timber.

From the NYTimes News-2018-6-22:14:6:1




Mystery extinct ape found in ancient Chinese tomb


The discovery of a prehistoric pet gibbon suggests humans pushed apes to extinction far back in history.

From the BBC News-2018-6-21:20:6:1




A Common Virus May Play Role in Alzheimer’s Disease, Study Finds


The research did not find that viruses cause Alzheimer’s. But it showed that two types of herpes interact with Alzheimer’s-related genes and might drive the disease process

From the NYTimes News-2018-6-21:14:6:1




The gene-edited pigs immune to lung disease


Pigs in Scotland have had their genes altered so they are now immune to a deadly respiratory disease.

From the BBC News-2018-6-20:20:6:1




Gene-edited farm animals are on their way


Scientists create pigs that are immune to one of the world's costliest livestock diseases.

From the BBC News-2018-6-20:14:6:1




Trilobites: Sea Stars Started Dissolving. What Helped Some of Them Survive?


Researchers say they’ve detected genetic differences that might help explain why some of these creatures on California’s coast survived a deadly plague.

From the NYTimes News-2018-6-18:20:6:1




Are Genetic Testing Sites the New Social Networks?


Like Facebook, but for fifth cousins, adoptive mothers and sperm-donor dads.

From the NYTimes News-2018-6-16:8:5:1




Trilobites: Using Harpoon-Like Appendages, Bacteria ‘Fish’ for New DNA


Seeing how microbes snatch new genetic material from their environment could help in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

From the NYTimes News-2018-6-14:14:6:3




Prehistoric frogs in amber surface after 99 million years


Frogs trapped in amber for 99 million years give clues to lost world. The four fossils were found in Myanmar.

From the BBC News-2018-6-14:14:6:1




Gene therapy reverses rat's paralysis


Experts say the findings could be life-changing for millions of patients.

From the BBC News-2018-6-14:14:6:2




One in five British mammals at risk of extinction


The red squirrel, the wildcat, and the grey long-eared bat face severe threats, a study says.

From the BBC News-2018-6-13:8:5:1




Matter: A Crispr Conundrum: How Cells Fend Off Gene Editing


Scientists may need to bypass a cell’s cancer defenses in order to successfully edit its DNA. The finding raises questions about gene-editing advances.

From the NYTimes News-2018-6-12:20:6:1




Basics: Secrets of the Y Chromosome


It’s not just what makes males into males. The sex chromosome also influences health in hidden ways, some experts believe, and may even explain why men have shorter life spans.

From the NYTimes News-2018-6-11:14:6:1




Retro Report: Scientists Can Design ‘Better’ Babies. Should They?


Advances in reproductive technology have put genetic choices within reach of perspective parents. But critics warn of ethical peril.

From the NYTimes News-2018-6-11:8:5:1




Meet the nuns helping save a sacred species from extinction


The axolotl - a salamander unique to Mexico - has almost been wiped out by pollution and over-fishing.

From the BBC News-2018-6-6:20:6:1




China’s Giant Salamanders Pose a Conservation Conundrum


Most of the animals now are found on farms in China. Giant salamanders released recently into the wild are genetically distinct from those that evolved there, a man-made “species.”

From the NYTimes News-2018-6-4:14:6:1




Good News for Women With Breast Cancer: Many Don’t Need Chemo


Many women with early-stage forms of the disease can forego chemo, based on a test that measures the activity of genes involved in breast cancer recurrence.

From the NYTimes News-2018-6-3:8:5:1




'Wolf-like' creature shot near Montana ranch puzzles experts


State wildlife experts are seeking DNA analysis to pinpoint the mysterious creature's species.

From the BBC News-2018-5-30:8:5:1




'Wolf-like' creature shot on Montana ranch puzzles experts


State wildlife experts are seeking DNA analysis to pinpoint the mysterious creature's species.

From the BBC News-2018-5-25:14:6:1




Loch Ness Monster: DNA tests may offer new clue


DNA research team say sampling of Loch Ness could uncover evidence of new creatures.

From the BBC News-2018-5-24:8:5:1




Trilobites: Big Discovery in a Tiny Mammal-Like Skull Found Under a Dinosaur’s Foot


Paleontologists found a 130 million-year-old haramiyid fossil in Utah, suggesting that the ancient relatives of modern mammals spread farther across the globe than thought.

From the NYTimes News-2018-5-23:14:6:1




Malaria genetics: study shows how disease became deadly


A genetic study reveals the secrets of how malaria evolved to be deadly killer of humans.

From the BBC News-2018-5-22:8:5:1




'Living fossil' giant salamander heading for extinction


The world's largest amphibian is in "catastrophic" decline, with probably only a handful left in the wild.

From the BBC News-2018-5-22:8:5:2




Matter: Every Cell in Your Body Has the Same DNA. Except It Doesn’t.


The genome obviously varies from person to person. But it can also vary from cell to cell, even within the same individual. The implications of “mosaicism” are enormous.

From the NYTimes News-2018-5-21:20:6:1




Technique From Golden State Killer Arrest Leads to Suspect in 1987 Killings


A break in the 31-year-long investigation of the killing in Washington State of a young Canadian couple came after DNA was uploaded to an ancestry website.

From the NYTimes News-2018-5-18:20:6:1




Trilobites: Scientists Made Snails Remember Something That Never Happened to Them


When scientists injected RNA from the brain cells of trained snails to untrained snails, the animals behaved as if they remembered the trained snails’ experiences.

From the NYTimes News-2018-5-15:14:6:1




As D.I.Y. Gene Editing Gains Popularity, ‘Someone Is Going to Get Hurt’


After researchers created a virus from mail-order DNA, geneticists sound the alarm about the genetic tinkering carried out in garages and living rooms.

From the NYTimes News-2018-5-14:14:6:1




Temperature-controlled turtle sex gene found


Scientists have isolated the gene responsible for temperature-controlled sex determination in turtles.

From the BBC News-2018-5-10:20:6:1




Matter: In Ancient Skeletons, Scientists Discover a Modern Foe: Hepatitis B


From 15 sets of skeletal remains, researchers have recovered DNA from the oldest viruses known to have infected humans — and have resurrected some strains in the laboratory.

From the NYTimes News-2018-5-9:20:6:1




Past in focus


Ancient DNA from human remains has helped construct a new narrative for human history.

From the BBC News-2018-5-5:9:26:2




Past in focus


Ancient DNA from human remains has helped construct a new narrative for human history.

From the BBC News-2018-5-5:9:26:1




Matter: The Very First Animal Appeared Amid an Explosion of DNA


Nobody knows what the first animal looked like. But many of its genes are still present in humans today.

From the NYTimes News-2018-5-4:14:6:1




How birds got their beaks - new fossil evidence


Scientists piece together the skull of an ancient bird, which had a primitive beak lined with teeth.

From the BBC News-2018-5-2:14:6:1




Genetic secrets of the rose revealed


Take time to smell the roses, the saying goes, as a study shows they may smell even sweeter in future.

From the BBC News-2018-5-1:8:5:1




Trilobites: How a Rose Blooms: Its Genome Reveals the Traits for Scent and Color


French researchers are completing a full map of the rose, pinpointing genes to edit for continuous blooming and its other signature features.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-30:14:6:2




Basics: A Population That Pollutes Itself Into Extinction (and It’s Not Us)


Gorging on glucose, bacteria in a petri dish died in their own acidic waste, a sign of the perpetual struggle in nature between cooperation and selfishness.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-30:14:6:1




The Golden State Killer Is Tracked Through a Thicket of DNA, and Experts Shudder


The arrest of a suspect has set off alarms among some scientists and ethicists worried that consumer DNA may be widely accessed by law enforcement.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-28:8:5:1




Matter: Hints of Human Evolution in Chimpanzees That Endure a Savanna’s Heat


The apes of Senegal’s Fongoli savanna may offer hints to how our own ancestors moved out of the woodlands, shed their fur and started walking upright.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-27:14:6:1




Trilobites: This Fungus Borrowed From Ancient Bacteria to Defy Gravity


Scientists say a fungus developed its well-known sensing abilities following an ancient genetic transfer between its ancestor and bacteria it encountered.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-27:14:6:2




Trilobites: A New Spider Family Tree Tries to Untangle the Evolution of Webs


Scientists have fiercely debated the origins of the orb-style web. A new study challenges the idea that all spiders who make this web had a common ancestor.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-26:14:6:1




GM plant tech boosts malaria drug yield


Scientists have modified a plant's genes to make it produce high levels of a key malaria drug, potentially helping meet the large global demand.

From the BBC News-2018-4-24:14:6:1




Her Daughter’s Diagnosis Made Her Work as a Scientist Personal


Soo-Kyung Lee had been studying the FOXG1 gene for years. Her research took on new meaning when she learned that her daughter, Yuna, had a rare defect on that gene.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-23:14:6:1




Infinitesimal Odds: A Scientist Finds Her Child’s Rare Illness Stems From the Gene She Studies


When it comes to studying the genetics of the brain, Soo-Kyung Lee is a star, yet she was stunned to discover the cause of her daughter’s devastating disabilities.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-23:8:5:1




Nonfiction: A Brand-New Version of Our Origin Story


The Harvard geneticist David Reich details his groundbreaking research into ancient DNA in “Who We Are and How We Got Here.”

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-20:8:5:1




Frenchman Is First in World to Get 2 Full Face Transplants


Jérôme Hamon, a bookseller who has a genetic disease, underwent a second transplant after his body rejected the first because he had taken an antibiotic for a cold.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-19:14:6:2




Matter: Bodies Remodeled for a Life at Sea


The Bajau, who spend most of their time on the ocean, are among the best divers in the world. Evolution is remaking them, a new study finds.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-19:14:6:1




Do You Know Which Dog Breeds Are in a Mutt? Scientists Want to Find Out


A new online citizen science questionnaire is a brain teaser for people who think they’re good at guessing the breeds in the genetic makeup of a mutt.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-18:14:6:1




ScienceTake: How a Common Beetle May Offer Deep Insights Into Evolution


A molecular biologist has turned a childhood obsession with a common beetle into a scientific quest.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-17:8:5:1




Basics: You Share Everything With Your Bestie. Even Brain Waves.


Scientists have made astonishing discoveries about the nature and evolution of friendship. Without it, humans suffer significant physical and emotional damage.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-16:8:5:1




Trilobites: The Evolution of the Eyebrow


A new study suggests that brow ridges probably didn’t evolve for practical reasons, but for sometimes subtle communications.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-13:20:6:1




Trilobites: Sea Turtles Use Magnetic Fields to Find Their Birthplace Beach


Using loggerhead genetics, researchers traced the routes of turtles that return decades after birth to nest near their original homes.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-13:14:6:1




How ancient DNA is transforming our view of the past


Ancient DNA from human remains has helped construct a new narrative for human history.

From the BBC News-2018-4-10:20:6:2




Iron Age study targets British DNA mystery


A project to sequence DNA from ancient remains may solve a puzzle involving people from south-east Britain.

From the BBC News-2018-4-10:20:6:1




Ancient sea reptile was one of the largest animals ever


Sea reptiles the size of blue whales swam off the English coast 200 million years ago, fossils show.

From the BBC News-2018-4-10:8:5:1




Finger bone points to early human exodus


A fossil find from Saudi Arabia adds to growing evidence that modern humans left Africa earlier than supposed.

From the BBC News-2018-4-9:14:6:1




Tasmanian devil cancers targeted by human drugs


Cambridge University researchers find human cancer drugs could halt the extinction of the marsupial.

From the BBC News-2018-4-9:14:6:2




Trilobites: In Footprints on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, Signs of a Dinosaur Playground


Ancient footprints left by long-necked sauropods offer a snapshot of the mid-Jurassic period, which has yielded relatively few fossil remains.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-4:20:6:2




Trilobites: Baleen Whales Intermingled as They Evolved, and Share DNA With Distant Cousins


Genome sequencing of six species of baleen whales shows how they have evolved into more of a network and have a wide range of genetic diversity, according to a new study.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-4:20:6:1




Saving a Fussy Predator in Europe, With Help From 50,000 Rabbits


After nearing extinction 20 years ago, the Iberian lynx has made a comeback in southern Spain and Portugal, thanks to a vast recovery program funded by the European Union.

From the NYTimes News-2018-4-2:8:5:1




Insects Flew Before Anything Else Did. So How Did They Get Their Wings?


Hundreds of millions of years ago, two tissues fused to form wings on ancient beetles, a genetic experiment finds.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-26:14:6:1




Q&A: Unique Identifiers in Animal DNA


Genetic fingerprinting can distinguish individuals from one another in many different species — even to identify poached or illegally trafficked animals.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-23:20:6:1




How DNA can be used to store computer data


British scientists think DNA could be used to solve a global problem - where to store all our data.

From the BBC News-2018-3-23:8:5:1




Matter: Was a Tiny Mummified Skeleton an Alien? No, but the Real Story Is Almost as Strange


Known as “Ata,” the six-inch-long skeleton was discovered in Chile and may have had genetic mutations causing a bone disorder never before documented.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-22:14:6:1




Stephen Hawking to Be Interred at Westminster Abbey


The cosmologist’s ashes will be buried there later this year, near a few legendary scientists like Darwin and Newton.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-21:20:6:1




Trilobites: In a Cockroach Genome, ‘Little Mighty’ Secrets


The American cockroach has the second largest insect genome ever sequenced. The variety of genes may help it survive in a multitude of environments.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-20:20:6:1




Sudan, the Last Male Northern White Rhino, Dies in Kenya


Just two members of the charismatic subspecies remain, both female. But scientists still hope to prevent the extinction of the animals.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-20:14:6:2




Stephen Hawking's ashes to be interred near Sir Isaac Newton's grave


The scientist's remains will be also be interred close to Charles Darwin's grave at Westminster Abbey.

From the BBC News-2018-3-20:14:6:1




Profiles in Science: David Reich Unearths Human History Etched in Bone


The geneticist at Harvard Medical School has retrieved DNA from more than 900 ancient people. His findings trace the prehistoric migrations of our species.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-20:8:5:1




The Struggle to Build a Massive ‘Biobank’ of Patient Data


At a cost of $1.4 billion, the N.I.H.’s All of Us program may help scientists discover new links between diseases, genes and lifestyle. But the project faces formidable obstacles.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-19:8:5:1




Changing environment influenced human evolution


New evidence from Kenya suggests that local climate change drove early human innovation.

From the BBC News-2018-3-15:20:6:1




John E. Sulston, 75, Dies; Found Clues to Genes in a Worm


After putting a roundworm under a microscope, Dr. Sulston shared a Nobel Prize in 2002 for discoveries on how organisms develop.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-15:20:6:2




Matter: What’s Behind Many Mystery Ailments? Genetic Mutations, Study Finds


An examination of 20,000 patients finds that more than 800 may have genetic conditions.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-15:14:6:1




Trilobites: After a Volcano’s Ancient Supereruption, Humanity May Have Thrived


Some said the Toba volcano’s explosion brought humanity to the brink of extinction 74,000 years ago, but archaeological evidence from South Africa challenges the idea.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-12:14:6:1




Sir John Sulston human genome pioneer dies


Sir John Sulston, a key figure in the race to decode the human genome, has died at the age of 75.

From the BBC News-2018-3-9:14:6:1




Matter: How One Child’s Sickle Cell Mutation Helped Protect the World From Malaria


The genetic mutation arose 7,300 years ago in just one person in West Africa, scientists reported on Thursday. Its advantage: a shield against rampant malaria.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-9:14:6:2




Baby bird fossil is 'rarest of the rare'


Fossil gives a peek into the lives of primitive birds that shared the Earth with the dinosaurs.

From the BBC News-2018-3-5:8:5:2




Tree loss pushing beetles to the brink


Nearly a fifth of European beetles that live in old and hollowed wood are at risk of extinction.

From the BBC News-2018-3-5:8:5:1




DNA sheds light on settlement of Pacific


Two genetic studies shed light on the epic journeys that led to the settlement of the vast Pacific region by humans.

From the BBC News-2018-3-2:20:6:1




Trilobites: When Did Americans Stop Marrying Their Cousins? Ask the World’s Largest Family Tree


Researchers assembled 5 million family trees using data from the website Geni.com to test several genetic and historical hypotheses.

From the NYTimes News-2018-3-1:14:6:1




Trilobites: No Sign of Newborn North Atlantic Whales This Breeding Season


Researchers tracking the endangered species grounds for birthing calves haven’t seen one baby this season, further raising the specter of extinction for the whales.

From the NYTimes News-2018-2-28:14:6:1




Arthur J. Moss, Who Pioneered Heart Treatments, Dies at 86


He successfully conducted research into fatal cardiac disorders, including a rare genetic malfunction called long QT syndrome.

From the NYTimes News-2018-2-28:14:6:3




Barbra Streisand Cloned Her Dogs. For $50,000, You Can Clone Yours.


Ms. Streisand made the revelation in an interview with Variety. Before you get any ideas, let us tell you a little bit more about the process.

From the NYTimes News-2018-2-28:14:6:2




Trilobites: A 3-D Look Inside the Tasmanian Tiger’s Pouch, Long After Extinction


Researchers scanned young thylacines preserved in jars in museums, gaining an understanding of when in their development the marsupials turned canine-like.

From the NYTimes News-2018-2-23:14:6:1




Matter: Neanderthals, the World’s First Misunderstood Artists


Cave paintings in Spain were made by Neanderthals, not modern humans, archaeologists reported. The finding adds to evidence that Neanderthals were capable of symbolic thought and perhaps language.

From the NYTimes News-2018-2-22:20:6:1




Mutation 'gives bats edge over deadly viruses'


A single mutation in an immunity gene may explain why bats can carry deadly viruses and not get sick.

From the BBC News-2018-2-22:14:6:2




Trilobites: For Vampire Bats to Live on Blood, It Takes Guts


Blood is a very difficult thing to live well on, but a new study of the gut microbes and genomes of vampire bats offer insights into how they do it.

From the NYTimes News-2018-2-22:14:6:3




Neanderthals were capable of making art


Contrary to the traditional view of them as brutes, it turns out that Neanderthals enjoyed making art.

From the BBC News-2018-2-22:14:6:1




DNA secrets of how vampire bats became bloodthirsty


New research shows how vampire bats evolved to survive on a diet of blood alone.

From the BBC News-2018-2-19:14:6:1




Amazon fish challenges mutation idea


Study of an Amazon fish has challenged ideas about how DNA gathers deadly mutations over time.

From the BBC News-2018-2-13:14:6:2




Genes remain active after death


Cells continue to function even after an individual dies, a discovery that could be developed into a forensic tool.

From the BBC News-2018-2-13:14:6:1




New crayfish that doesn't need males to mate becomes all-powerful


The self-cloning species, which can be bought in North America, is banned in Europe and two US states.

From the BBC News-2018-2-12:14:6:1




Trilobites: These Skates Are Made for Walking


A fish that scurries along the seafloor uses the same neurons and genes that help land vertebrates walk, suggesting the blueprint for walking originated much earlier than previously thought.

From the NYTimes News-2018-2-8:14:6:2




DNA story of when life first gave us lemons


From sweet oranges to bitter lemons, all citrus fruit came from the Himalayas millions of years ago, say scientists.

From the BBC News-2018-2-8:14:6:1




Cheddar Man: DNA shows early Briton had dark skin


Scientists put a face to Cheddar Man, Britain's oldest complete skeleton from 10,000 years ago.

From the BBC News-2018-2-7:8:5:1




Matter: This Mutant Crayfish Clones Itself, and It’s Taking Over Europe


Every marbled crayfish is a female clone. The population is exploding in Europe, but the species seems to have originated in the American Southeast.

From the NYTimes News-2018-2-5:20:6:1




'Extraordinary' fossil sheds light on origins of spiders


A fossil preserved in amber for 100 million years is shaking up ideas about the evolution of spiders.

From the BBC News-2018-2-5:14:6:1




Fossil from south Wales named as new reptile species


The ancient animal would have shared its home with dinosaurs, say Bristol researchers.

From the BBC News-2018-2-2:14:6:1




Q&A: The Octopus: Stable Genius


The cephalopod’s brain is the largest (proportionally) of any invertebrate. The creature’s advanced abilities, including memory and problem-solving, may be attributed to its large genome.

From the NYTimes News-2018-2-2:8:5:1




Take a Number: The Smiling Axolotl Hides a Secret: A Giant Genome


The Mexican salamander has largest genome ever sequenced, which may account for its unique regenerative abilities.

From the NYTimes News-2018-2-1:8:5:2




Genetic secret of English salmon


Researchers have discovered that salmon from the chalk streams of southern England are genetically unique.

From the BBC News-2018-2-1:8:5:1




Matter: The Famine Ended 70 Years Ago, but Dutch Genes Still Bear Scars


Babies born during the Dutch Hunger Winter became adults with higher rates of health problems. Now researchers may have found the genetic switches that made it happen.

From the NYTimes News-2018-1-31:20:6:1




Arno Motulsky, a Founder of Medical Genetics, Dies at 94


Dr. Motulsky narrowly escaped the Nazis as a teenager and went on to become what one scientist called “a maestro of human genetics.”

From the NYTimes News-2018-1-29:20:6:1




Handheld device sequences human genome


Reading human DNA used to take laboratories, a pile of cash and a long time.

From the BBC News-2018-1-29:14:6:2




Lost history of African dinosaurs revealed


A new species of dinosaur unearthed in the Egyptian desert sheds light on Africa's Age of the Dinosaurs.

From the BBC News-2018-1-29:14:6:1




In Cave in Israel, Scientists Find Jawbone Fossil From Oldest Modern Human Out of Africa


The discovery could rewrite the migration story of our species, pushing back by about 50,000 years when Homo sapiens were thought to have first left Africa.

From the NYTimes News-2018-1-25:20:6:1




Matter: You Are Shaped by the Genes You Inherit. And Maybe by Those You Don’t.


An unusual study of educational attainment in children finds that gene variants linked to parental nurturing were highly influential even though children had not inherited them.

From the NYTimes News-2018-1-25:14:6:1




Cloned monkeys: First primate clones are created in lab


Two monkeys named Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua have become the first primates to be cloned.

From the BBC News-2018-1-25:8:5:1




Yes, They’ve Cloned Monkeys in China. That Doesn’t Mean You’re Next.


Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have created the first primate clones with a technique like the one used to create Dolly the sheep more than 20 years ago.

From the NYTimes News-2018-1-24:20:6:1




First monkey clones created in Chinese laboratory


Two monkeys cloned using the 'Dolly the sheep' technique could bring the world a step closer to human cloning.

From the BBC News-2018-1-24:14:6:1




Trilobites: Ancient Crocodiles Once Feasted on Giant Tortoises on This Island


Bite marks on fossils found on an atoll near eastern Africa suggest that this paradise for the world’s most common giant tortoise may have once been a much scarier place.

From the NYTimes News-2018-1-24:8:5:1




Chemistry 'Van Gogh' could help with cancer


Scientists capture "incredible" images of instructions contained in DNA being read

From the BBC News-2018-1-17:20:6:1




High-Fat Diet May Fuel Spread of Prostate Cancer


New research suggests a strong link between genes, dietary fat and prostate cancer.

From the NYTimes News-2018-1-16:20:6:1




How flowering plants conquered the world


Scientists solve Darwin's "abominable mystery": How flowers rapidly evolved and spread across the globe.

From the BBC News-2018-1-13:20:6:1




Cloned Newmarket dachshund expecting puppies


Minnie Winnie was created by science after her owner won a competition.

From the BBC News-2018-1-13:8:5:1




Finding the Oldest Fossils of Butterflies Using a Human Nose Hair


While studying ancient pollen in the black goop of sediment collected in Germany, researchers discovered 200 million-year-old butterfly scales.

From the NYTimes News-2018-1-10:20:6:2




Meet the butterflies from 200 million years ago


Newly discovered fossils in Germany shed light on the emergence of butterflies and moths.

From the BBC News-2018-1-10:20:6:1




Trilobites: This Worm Evolved Self-Fertilization and Lost a Quarter of Its DNA


When a worm’s hermaphroditic females developed the ability to reproduce on their own, they may have shed a lot of genes related to male reproduction.

From the NYTimes News-2018-1-8:14:6:2




In Africa, Geneticists Are Hunting Poachers


DNA databases holding samples from thousands of rhinoceroses and elephants are helping to convict illegal traffickers.

From the NYTimes News-2018-1-8:14:6:1




Alaskan infant's DNA tells story of 'first Americans'


The 11,500-year-old bones of a child unearthed in Alaska shed light on the peopling of the Americas.

From the BBC News-2018-1-3:20:6:1




Matter: In the Bones of a Buried Child, Signs of a Massive Human Migration to the Americas


Genetic analysis of an 11,500-year-old skeleton discovered in Alaska suggests that North America was settled by a previously unknown people who originated in Siberia.

From the NYTimes News-2018-1-3:14:6:1




The gene editing tech that uses 'molecular scissors'


In 2012 a form of gene editing was discovered, it is called CRISPR Cas9. It uses "molecular scissors" to alter a very specific strand of DNA.

From the BBC News-2018-1-2:14:6:1