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.
Possible genetic links to homosexuality like ‘finding needle in a haystack’
Scientists in the US looked at the whole genomes of around 1000 homosexual men and 1200 heterosexual men, finding several ...
High IQ correlates with success—but also mood disorders, anxiety and autism
There’s some bad news for people in the right tail of the IQ bell curve. In a study just published in the ...
Quest to find aliens boosted by new technology and funding
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence is bigger than ever, thanks to a big cash infusion from Russian billionaire Yuri Milner ...
Why some Amish are genetically wired to live longer
Although known mainly for their adherence to an older, simpler way of life, some Amish folks also have a genetic ...
Why all identical twins who are overweight are not identically obese
Identical twins have the same genomes, but they don't always look exactly the same, particularly in regards to weight. Science ...
Skin color and ‘race’: Genetics reveal complicated relationship
For much of recorded history, skin color has been loaded with powerful social meaning. Skin color plays a major part ...
Turning night owls into early birds? It may soon be possible
The discovery of a genetic mutation linked to night owl behavior raises the prospect of a drug treatment that would ...
‘Semi-synthetic’ organism expands DNA base alphabet
Every living thing on Earth stores the instructions for life as DNA, using the four genetic bases A, G, C, ...
Uptown rats? Rodents in New York City have genetically adapted to different neighborhoods
As a whole, Manhattan’s rats are genetically most similar to those from Western Europe, especially Great Britain and France. They ...
Proof the yeti exists? DNA analysis shows bone ‘samples’ came from bears
In the fall of 2013, Charlotte Lindqvist got a call from a film company making an Animal Planet documentary about ...
Evolutionary tradeoffs: How DNA works so living things have a ‘competitive advantage’ to survive
Evolution is a game of trade-offs. Every trait an organism inherits may have benefits and drawbacks; what matters to natural ...
What are the genetics behind this amazing-looking ‘two-faced’ cat?
Meet Quimera the cat—she’s no ordinary feline! You’ve probably never seen any animal quite like her. Her furry face is ...
Chimeras: The genetics behind this amazing-looking ‘two-faced’ cat
Meet Quimera the cat—she’s no ordinary feline! You’ve probably never seen any animal quite like her. Her furry face is ...
Kissing cousins: Understanding the genetic risks and benefits when close relatives marry
Endogamy––the marriage of relatives––is a controversial cultural practice. It can play surprising roles in health and disease ...
How our autistic ancestors helped shape human evolution
[W]hen we talk about the autism spectrum – we are all “a bit autistic” – and we all fit somewhere ...
Evidence Earth is billions of years old abounds, so why don’t creationists believe it?
[Editor's note: Sabine Hossenfelder is a physicist and Research Fellow at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies.] Planet Earth formed around ...
Brain addiction: Why stopping drug use is so difficult
Drug addiction is a commonly misunderstood disease. Once addicted, it’s not only about pleasure seeking or choice, but chemical reactions ...
Should we ‘genetically modify’ humans to fit the demands of space travel?
It takes something special to be an astronaut – an extraordinary combination of bravery, fitness, intelligence, lightning-fast decision-making and calmness ...
Viewpoint: Newsweek’s surprisingly unscientific view of the genetics of obesity
[Editor's note: Dr. Charles Dinerstein is a retired vascular surgeon.] In a nod to science, Newsweek reported that there might be genetic underpinnings ...
Challenging Mendel: Does the female egg woo sperm with specific genes?
[Researcher Jon Nadeau’s] hypothesis—that the egg could woo sperm with specific genes and vice versa—is part of a growing realization ...
How evolution contributed to the demise of the passenger pigeon
Passenger pigeons were once the most abundant bird in North America, and quite possibly the world. … In a matter ...
The leaves on the tree of life are almost all microbes
Planet of the insects? Heck no. Planet of the microbes. Science has long struggled with estimating how many species of ...
Stressed out? It could alter your sperm
Sperm from stressed-out dads can carry that stress from one generation to another. “But one question that really hasn’t been ...
How choosing genetically similar partners shapes our genomes
Chances are, you’re going to marry someone a lot like you. Similar intelligence, similar height, similar body weight. A new ...
Evidence ancient humans not ‘violent apes’ but distinctly compassionate
[Editor's note: Penny Spikins is an archaeologist who specializes in early prehistory and human origins.] Yes, there is evidence of interpersonal violence ...
Genetics can’t determine your indigenous heritage
Collectively, genetics studies have shown us that the indigenous inhabitants of the Americas are descended from a group that diverged ...
Has the mystery of who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls been solved?
Dozens of skeletons discovered in the Judean Desert may finally reveal who wrote the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, a mystery that ...
