Human Spotlight
Microbiome: How the bacterial genes in our gut impact us
For every human cell that is intrinsic to our body, there are about 10 resident microbes ...
Confusion – scientific and ethical – reigns in the wake of stem cell cloning landmark
Scientists have finally succeeded in harvesting embryonic stem cells from human embryos cloned using the same technique that gave birth ...
Stem cell therapy deserves a dose of skepticism
Stem cells are at risk of becoming "the new snake oil peddled by 21st century charlatans" without better regulation and ...
Genetics continues to garner attention as conservation tool
Genetics continues to make headlines in conservation efforts, even if it's not the species-saving panacea some hope for ...
Jason Richwine affair raises prickly policy issues on IQ
The firing of Jason Richwine from the Heritage Foundation for his controversial 2009 thesis on race and IQ reflects poorly ...
A minimalist genome: Sometimes “junk” DNA really is junk
Whether or not "junk" DNA is actually useful has been a topic of debate. A new paper in Nature examining ...
Jewish researcher attacks DNA evidence linking Jews to Israel
Geneticist Eran Elhaik claims most Jews can trace their ancestry to the Caucusus and Eastern Europe, despite overwhelming evidence of ...
What role will genetics play in a biology-based approach to psychiatry?
Calls for a biology-based psychiatry are growing louder, but how will genetics fit into this puzzle? ...
Head for numbers? Brain anatomy best predictor of math aptitude
Children who are good at math may literally have a brain for numbers. New research indicates that the physical structure ...
Bad brains: Did my DNA make me do it?
Are perpetrators of violence suffering from a medical condition that demands a public health reaction that might radically alter the ...
Walking the ethical edge: ‘Made-to-order’ embryos address genuine needs
Ethical watchdogs are stifling a much-needed discussion of the actual costs and benefits of a for-profit embryo donations. Despite the ...
Cancers united by common genetic patterns
Evidence grows that cancers are best defined by their genetic fingerprints, not their organ of origin ...
Could dwarf lemur genomes hold the key to long-distance space travel?
Two species of dwarf lemur hibernate, an unusual trait in primates. By mining the genomes of these species, scientists might ...
Gene therapy combats heart failure, provides renewed hope for genetic medicine
A new treatment offers hope for patients suffering heart failure, and also for scientists who would like to see gene ...
The ethics of pharmacogenetics
Pharmacogenetics is poised to provide crucial information about patients’ responses to various prescription drugs, effectively expanding upon current dosage guidelines ...
AMP v. Myriad Genetics: Do intellectual property protections really stifle innovation?
As the Supreme Court debates the patentability of human genes, the media argues about whether patents help or hinder genetic ...
Why the U.S. Supreme Court should allow human gene patents
By giving a monopoly to new inventions, patents encourage individuals to innovate and investors to invest in attempts to make ...
Public domain Human Genome Project spurred more innovation than proprietary competitor
Does intellectual property drive innovation? Not in the field of genomics, according to a recent study by an MIT economist ...
DNA Day and the Genetic Revolution
DNA Day is this week! To celebrate, IEEE Spectrum has rounded up several excellent pieces about the genetic breakthroughs that ...
DNA and the criminal justice system
Should police automatically collect DNA samples from crime suspects who have been arrested, but not convicted? Supporters say the measure ...
The definition of ‘marriage’ evolves with culture
Gay marriage exemplifies a profound part of human nature: our capacity for cultural evolution ...
Genetics versus new bird flu: The race is on
Scientists and researchers around the world are turning to new genetic techniques to race the outbreak of the new H5N7 ...
New Canadian bill would prevent genetic discrimination
Canada's liberals are calling for restrictions on how insurance companies can use genetic information ...
Has the pace of genetics research rendered the Myriad case obsolete?
Both sides in the Myriad genetics case seem to think the future of innovation is at stake, but a few ...
Happy birthday, Human Genome
In the 10 years since the completion of the Human Genome Project, genetic science has moved forward in leaps and ...
The great gay showdown: Genes vs. germs
Ron Unz, former businessman and conservative political activist, blasts through two rival explanations for homosexuality: the Gay Gene hypothesis and ...
Italy should look to science before deregulating stem-cell therapies
It is wrong to exploit the desperation of the disabled and the terminally ill and to raise false hopes of ...