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.
Oldest African DNA found in Malawi cave fills some of human ancestry’s ‘crucial gaps’
A great irony about Africa is that, even though it’s the birthplace of our species, we know almost nothing about ...
Viewpoint: Inequality rooted in social conditions not biology
[Editor's note: Michael White is a professor of genetics at Washington University in St. Louis.] America, we've had a long ...
Postpartum depression: It impacts dads, too
Postpartum depression affects fathers, too. Men experience lower testosterone levels throughout pregnancy and paternal care, increasing the chance of depression ...
Seeking human consciousness at the cellular level
To define human consciousness at the neuronal level is among the most difficult of tasks for neuroscience. Still, researchers have ...
Virus dangers: Zika, SARS, dengue, 24 others could be transmitted through semen
A dig through the literature has uncovered evidence of 27 distinct viruses from a wide variety of families capable of ...
Hive coup? Why queen bees are sometimes killed by workers
[Editor's note: James Gilbert is a lecturer in zoology at the University of Hull.] A new study has shown that some bee workers ...
Bible and the brain: How did ancient Israelites ‘hear’ God?
James Kugel has been spent his entire scholarly career studying the Bible, but some very basic questions about it still ...
Neanderthal population estimate increases tenfold
Some gene-based estimates put the Neanderthals’ effective population at a measly 1,000; others claim they hovered at a few thousand ...
Children receive four times as many genetic mutations from dads than moms
Children inherit four times as many new mutations from their fathers than their mothers, according to research that suggests faults ...
Oxitec to produce one billion Zika-fighting mosquito eggs each week
Plans to produce one billion mosquito eggs in the UK every week have been announced by a company working to ...
Questioning the promise of anonymity for DNA donors
Thousands of human genomes have been collected by research institutions around the world in recent years, as they attempt to find ...
Genetic testing companies grapple with how to deal with white supremacists
White supremacists are using cheap, rapid DNA-testing services such as 23andMe to post “evidence” of their white European ancestry on ...
CRISPR may allow us to choose the color of butterfly wings
Only nature can paint the gorgeous colors and patterns on a butterfly’s wings. But scientists said... they have mastered the ...
Genetic mutation causes insulin production without eating carbs
Researchers have discovered how a genetic mutation may lead to excess production of insulin, a condition known as congenital hyperinsulinism, ...
Could violent genes be an excuse for committing crimes?
The use of genetic data to establish a physiological basis for violent or impulsive criminal behaviors is occurring more frequently ...
Psychologists downplay role of genetics in mental health
While there has been some success in uncovering genes which make people more susceptible to various disorders, specialists say that ...
Embryos aren’t female by ‘default’ after all, study shows
Every developing embryo, irrespective of its sex, at one point contains both male and female reproductive tracts, referred to as ...
Armor of tomorrow could be derived from these 3 animals
Scientists are investigating what makes conch shells and fish scales so tough and designing their own versions. They’re even turning to materials ...
Proof of Viking warrior women? Maybe, but maybe not
In a paper published in American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Uppsala University archaeologist Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson and her team announced that they had, at ...
Why New Guinea islanders are among the most genetically diverse people in the world
If you travel the meandering Sepik River of New Guinea, it quickly becomes apparent that from one bend to the ...
Extreme Male Brain Theory? Girls with autism have characteristically more masculine faces
A new study suggests that boys and girls with autism have facial features that are characteristically more male than female. [...] ...
Xena Warrior Princess: DNA test cited as first proof of Viking women warriors
The remains of a powerful Viking — long thought to be a man — was in fact a real-life Xena ...
Who is a Jew? Dangers of obsessing over ‘Jewish genetics’
The Jewish world has been obsessing over genetics recently. Are we or are we not white? Has the Khazar hypothesis been conclusively disproven? All these are interesting questions ...
Getting to the bottom of reports of declining male fertility
Studies suggest that western men are experiencing declining sperm counts. But more extensive research is needed to determine if it's ...
Genetic testing pitfall: Major genetic company missed 50,000 cancer screenings
As fun as it is to find out where your great-great-great grandparents came from, the real promise of genetic testing ...
Can we ‘bring back’ long extinct Galápagos tortoises?
Many members of the two species of tortoises — marked by the distinctive saddleback shape of their shells — were ...
23andMe chasing Parkinson’s clues through genomic data mining
In 2015, 23andMe began inking lucrative research agreements with pharma giants like Genentech and Pfizer, in addition to launching its own R&D ...
