Genetics
3D DNA Preserved for 52,000 Years in Freeze-Dried Woolly Mammoth Remains
For the first time, researchers have mapped ancient genetic material in unprecedented detail
Ancient DNA Unravels the Mysteries of the Dingo, Australia's Wild Dog
Researchers dove into thousands of years of evolutionary history, revealing new insights about the iconic, though sometimes vilified, canines
What Killed the Last Woolly Mammoths? Scientists Say It Wasn't Inbreeding
New research suggests some catastrophic event—such as a natural disaster or a virus—killed the world's last known population of mammoths on Wrangel Island
These Stunning Butterflies Flew 2,600 Miles Across the Atlantic Ocean Without Stopping
Researchers combined several lines of evidence to solve the mystery of why a group of painted ladies, which do not live in South America, were found fluttering on a beach in French Guiana
Move Over, Genghis Khan. Many Other Men Left Huge Genetic Legacies
A 2015 study showed that ten other men have a lot of descendants. The paper is just one of several genetic studies revealing the secrets of descent
Ancient DNA Illuminates the History of Malaria, One of the World's Deadliest Diseases
Researchers extracted parasitic DNA from preserved teeth and bones, revealing how malaria spread across the globe in a new study
A Mass Grave of Maya Boys May Shed Light on Human Sacrifice in Chichén Itzá
Researchers have genetically tested the bones and made determinations of gender and family relations
When Did Humans Domesticate Horses? Scientists Find Modern Lineage Has Origins 4,200 Years Ago
A new study suggests people in the Eurasian steppe bred horses around 2200 B.C.E., challenging earlier ideas about the beginnings of horse husbandry
Ancient Celtic Elites Inherited Wealth From Their Mothers' Sides
A genetic analysis of opulent burial mounds in Germany sheds new light on how power passed through family lines
This Tiny Fern Has the World's Largest Known Genome
The plant's genome has about 50 times as many base pairs as a human's, and its DNA from a single cell would stretch longer than a football field
50,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Bones Have Remains of Human Viruses, Scientists Find
The preliminary analysis is a first step in testing the theory that infectious diseases played a role in Neanderthals' extinction
DNA Reveals How German Cockroaches Came to Dominate the World
A new paper looks at the genes of the most common cockroach species, tracing its historical journey alongside humans, from Asia to the Middle East, Europe and beyond
Scientists Uncover the Ancient Origins of Baobab Trees in Genetic Study
The trees originated in Madagascar 21 million years ago but later traveled long distances by way of ocean currents, according to new research
Almost All People With Two Copies of This Genetic Variant Develop Signs of Alzheimer's Disease, Study Finds
The research focused on a variant called APOE4 and largely looked at people of European ancestry—risk levels are different for other groups, the authors say
Medieval Squirrels and Humans May Have Spread Leprosy Back and Forth
Archaeologists uncovered evidence of leprosy in a medieval red squirrel in England, and DNA evidence revealed the strain was similar to what was circulating in humans at the time
Researchers Breed Mice With Hybrid Brains Containing Cells From Rats
In one experiment, rat neurons helped mice restore their senses of smell—the first time any animal has perceived the world through the sensory hardware of another species
Personalized Melanoma Vaccine Could Be a 'Game Changer' by Teaching the Body to Fight Cancer Cells
The mRNA therapy, designed to prevent treated skin cancer from returning, is entering its third phase of trials
Scientists Clone Two Black-Footed Ferrets From Frozen Tissues in Conservation Effort
The aim of cloning the animals is to increase the genetic diversity of the endangered species
Why Are Some People Left-Handed? Scientists Identify Rare Genetic Variants That May Be Linked to the Trait
The variants are present in fewer than 1 percent of people, but they were 2.7 times more likely to appear in lefties than in righties
Two New Species of Killer Whale Should Be Recognized, Study Says
A couple of eastern North Pacific populations of orcas have qualities that set them apart, according to researchers
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