How Gene Flow Between Species Influenced the Evolution of Darwin’s Finches
Despite the traditional view that species do not exchange genes by hybridization, recent studies show that gene flow between closely related species is more common…
Genetics
Dementia Gene Doubles the Risk of Developing Severe COVID-19
Having a faulty gene linked to dementia doubles the risk of developing severe COVID-19, according to a large-scale study. Researchers at the University of Exeter…
New Sex Hormone Discovered by Biologists
New hormone that stimulates sexual functions in fish could lead to novel infertility treatments in humans. When University of Ottawa biologists Kim Mitchell and Vance…
New Rare Disease Uncovered With Own Facial Features, Cardiac Defects and Developmental Delay
TRAF7 syndrome: The first 45 patients An international multicenter study describes a rare disease characterized by a series of recognizable facial features, cardiac defects and…
Scientists Explore Molecular Connections Between Genetics, Gut Microbiome, and Memory
A molecule commonly produced by gut microbes appears to improve memory in mice. A new study is among the first to trace the molecular connections…
Close Genetic Relative of SARS-CoV-2 Found in Bats Offers More Evidence It Evolved Naturally
There is ongoing debate among policymakers and the general public about where SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, came from. While researchers consider bats the…
Arks of Genetic Diversity in Terrestrial Mammals Uncovered by Scientists
Maximizing the protection of life on Earth requires knowledge of the global patterns of biodiversity at multiple dimensions, from genetic diversity within species, to species…
DNA May Not Be the Blueprint for Life – Just a Scrambled List of Ingredients
University of Maryland researcher develops potentially revolutionary framework for heredity and evolution in which inheritable information is stored outside the genome. The common view of…
Scientists Identify Gene Linked to Thinness – Unique to People That Can Eat Anything and Not Gain Weight
While others may be dieting and hitting the gym hard to stay in shape, some people stay slim effortlessly no matter what they eat. In…
“Superpower” Discovered in Squids: They Can Massively Edit Their Own Genetics
Revealing yet another super-power in the skillful squid, scientists have discovered that squid massively edit their own genetic instructions not only within the nucleus of…
New Tool Developed to Sequence Circular DNA
New method will provide insight into genomes of bacteria and viruses, as well as extrachromosomal circular DNA in mammals and plants. University of Alberta biologists…
Intriguing Genetics That Flipped the Food Chain to Allow Carnivorous Plants to Hunt Animals
Plants can produce energy-rich biomass with the help of light, water and carbon dioxide. This is why they are at the beginning of the food…
Innovative Virus Research May Save Wheat and Other Crops
University of California Riverside scientists have solved a 20-year-old genetics puzzle that could result in ways to protect wheat, barley, and other crops from a…
Earliest Modern Artifacts in Europe – Blade-Like Tools and Teeth Pendants – Were Created by Homo Sapiens
Innovative tools and pendants previously thought to be possibly the work of Neanderthals. Blade-like tools and animal tooth pendants previously discovered in Europe, and once…
How to Boost Plant Biomass: Genetic Biologists Uncover Molecular Link to Growth
Findings have implications for increasing plant nitrogen use efficiency, reducing reliance on fertilizers. Plant scientists have long known that crop yield is proportional to the…
Neuroscientists May Have Just Discovered Why Some People Are More Prone to Anxiety
Increased levels of serotonin transporters in the amygdala may be to blame. Anxiety-prone people can blame serotonin cleanup proteins gone awry in their amygdala, according…
DNA of Bones Found in Cave Reveals Major Cultural Transition in Europe Took Place Earlier Than Thought
The Oldest Upper Paleolithic Homo Sapiens in Europe Two studies report new Homo sapiens fossils from the site of Bacho Kiro Cave in Bulgaria. “The Bacho Kiro…
Whether the Coronavirus Puts You in the Hospital Could Depend on Your Genes – And We’re Unraveling Which Ones Matter
The big idea When some people become infected with the coronavirus, they only develop mild or undetectable cases of COVID-19. Others suffer severe symptoms, fighting…