Ancestry & Evolution
The desire to understand our origins is primal. By examining our DNA over successive generations through the evolutionary process of inherited characteristics of human and animal populations–as well as from those species from which humans share a common ancestry–we can decipher our individual and collective past and develop medical innovations for the future.
Below is the complete archive of related articles sorted by date.
Genghis Khan’s reputation as history’s most fertile father challenged by 9 mystery men
Millions of men bear the genetic legacy of Genghis Khan, the famously fertile Mongolian ruler who died in 1227. Researchers ...
Genetic variants altering key brain structures identified
In the animal kingdom, humans are known for our big brains. But not all brains are created equal, and now ...
DNA evidence ends ancestry debate over 9500 year old skeleton
Nearly two decades after the ancient skeleton called Kennewick Man was discovered on the banks of the Columbia River, the ...
Genomics reveals evolutionary history of drug resistant tuberculosis
From the dawn of agriculture to the fall of the Soviet Union, major events in human history have left marks ...
Buzz on how the housefly genome will help cure human disease
Insects that humans have always regarded as nothing but pests are being exploited for good purposes —as genomic sources of ...
Debunking Creationist study criticizing similiarity between human and chimpanzee DNA
I was recently asked to respond to an apologist page that challenged the scientific claim that human and chimpanzee DNA ...
Are monkeys intelligent enough to exhibit human-like self recognition?
The ability to recognize oneself in a mirror has been touted as a hallmark of higher cognition — present in ...
Expanded efforts to sequence cat genomes may provide clues to human disease
Cats may have beaten dogs on the Internet but felines have been a rare breed in genetics labs compared with ...
Is there a scientific basis to the paleo diet?
The problem with modern diets is that they rely too heavily on modern, processed foods. If only we emulated the ...
Private umbilical cord cell banking: Good idea or scam?
You only have to Google search “cord blood” or similar phrases, or even just read an article about pregnancy and ...
How beneficial gut bacteria survive the host’s immune response
Mammalian hosts fight gut infections in part by releasing antimicrobial peptides that disrupt bacterial membranes. But it has been unclear ...
Melting pot? Not in the USA. Yet. But coming soon?
A recent study further debunks the myth that the U.S. is a genetic melting pot. The study, the largest ever ...
Is there a method to the chaos of evolution?
Is the natural world creative? Just take a look around it. Look at the brilliant plumage of tropical birds, the ...
Apple juice may help ward off Alzheimer’s disease
Emerging evidence suggests nutrition plays a more critical role in neurodegeneration than originally thought. As little as two glasses of ...
Does a whale’s genome hold the secret to longevity?
In a search for genes that fight off aging, researchers have now charted the bowhead whale genome. Bowheads are filter ...
Dogs tell story of ancient human migration
Dogs successfully migrated to the Americas about 10,000 years ago, according to a new study. That's a long time ago ...
Reaching beyond Darwinian evolution to explain the diversity of life
Is the natural world creative? Just take a look around it. Look at the brilliant plumage of tropical birds, the ...
Is obesity rooted in your genes? Not exactly
In what seems to be another piece of evidence in favor of genes being impacted in differential ways over time ...
Unusual reproduction of nematodes may illuminate sexual evolution in animals
The vinegar worm (officially known as Caenorhabditis elegans) is about as simple as an animal can be. When this soil-dwelling ...
New antibiotic thwarts bacterial resistance
The British chemist Lesley Orgel had a rule: Evolution is cleverer than you. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have repeatedly proven him right. Since ...
Can we yet use genetics to determine which sports are best for our kids?
Can you choose sport based on your biology, or better yet a sport that might be good for your kids? ...
‘Abominable Snowman’ hairs match DNA of ancient polar bear
Last year, Oxford University genetics professor Bryan Sykes revealed the results of DNA tests on hairs said to be from ...
Insects provide valuable look into genetics of how societies are built
Eusocial insects are among the most successful living creatures on Earth. Found in terrestrial ecosystems across the globe (on every ...
How to spot a science ideologue
Critics of consensus science--those who challenge the certainty of evolution, the reality of human caused global warming, or the safety ...
Scientists urge revamped regulations for genetic engineering
Scientists are calling for revamped regulation of genetic modification, especially the new techniques not subject to current rules ...
Genes have a time clock, new obesity study reveals
Although genes drive many human behaviors, new research suggests their impact changes over time—when the environment changes so does the ...
