Daily Human Digest
Every day, the staff of the Genetic Literacy Project scours the Web for stories on a range of human genetics issues, including gene editing, regulations and bioethics, gene therapy, epigenetics, personal genomics, evolution, ancestry and artificial intelligence. We publish excerpts of those stories and encourage our readers to visit the original publications for the complete stories.
Gene for brown hair, blue eyes and freckles discovered
A genomic variant strongly associated with sensitivity to the sun, brown hair, blue eyes and freckles has been identified by a new ...
Neuroscientist has the genes of a psychopath but an otherwise normal life
One afternoon in October 2005, neuroscientist James Fallon was looking at brain scans of serial killers. “I got to the ...
New, vast database lets researchers easily search drug-gene interactions
Relationships between human genetic variation and drug responses are being documented at an accelerating rate, and have become some of ...
Project that resurrected extinct frog one of 2013’s “best inventions”
Time magazine named the Lazarus project--a project that created an embryo of an extinct frog species from non-living genetic material--one ...
Could humans communicate with dolphins in the near future?
Animal researchers are working on a project that would allow humans to communicate with free-swimming dolphins in real time ...
FDA orders 23andMe to stop marketing DNA test kit
The Food and Drug Administration is demanding that 23andMe immediately cease all marketing for its main DNA service until it ...
Battle developing over GM insects poised to fight olive pests
Scientists are developing GM insects to combat diseases and pests, but face opposition from anti-biotech organizations. If a field trial ...
Genetic evidence suggests chronic unemployment shortens lives
The high unemployment rates of recent years have led to variety of serious problems, including intense financial strains, tension within ...
Genetic information in health care set to explode with approve of next-generation DNA sequencer
This year marks 60 years since James Watson and Francis Crick described the structure of DNA and 10 years since ...
Gene tests no help in determining blood thinner treaments
In recent years, DNA variants in two different genes have been linked to how much blood thinner a patient needs ...
Early Americans linked to Europe by DNA discovery
DNA extracted from the arm bone of a child who died in southern Siberia about 24,000 years ago has shed ...
Only two genes make the man…or mouse
Scientists have practically obliterated the ultimate symbol of maleness in DNA, the Y chromosome, and believe they may be able ...
Genetic links found to autism
Genetic links to autism have been discovered by Yale researchers. The scientists have identified which types of brain cells and ...
Old age is programmed in human embryos
Researchers found senescent cells--normally associated with old and damaged tissue--in embryos. Now, they suspect senescence plays a role in differentiating ...
Toxins that affected your great-grandparents could be in your genes
Michael Skinner’s biggest discovery began, as often happens in science stories like this one, with a brilliant failure. In his ...
After DNA test, white supremacist charged with terrorizing town
It's been a tough month for Craig Cobb. After the North Dakota white supremacist went on a TV show and ...
Stop and swabs happening in Dallas-Fort Worth area
Drivers in North Fort Worth, Texas, are being pulled over at a police roadblock and asked for saliva, blood and breath samples ...
Scientists grow ‘mini-kidneys’ from human stem cells
For the first time ever, researchers have grown cell structures similar to adult kidney cells. The research could open doors ...
Predicting human body height from DNA
Predicting adult body height from genetic data is helpful in several areas such as pediatric endocrinology and forensic investigations. However, ...
Copying and reading the book of life in one cell, accurately
Decoding the complete DNA genome in a single cell has been a major goal of technology developers. But the methods ...
Genetics pioneer and Nobel winner Frederick Sanger dies
Biochemist and Nobel laureate Frederick Sanger died at age 95 on November 19th. His work created the basic tool kit ...
Genomics technology races to save newborns
Earlier this month, doctors at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City were able to use rapid DNA sequencing and analysis ...
Sharks more genetically similar to humans than to zebrafish
The first large-scale exploration of the genetic code of the great white shark has revealed some unexpected insights into what ...
Scientists Use a Mutated Virus to Build a Better Battery
By unleashing a genetically modified virus onto microscopic electrode wires, researchers from MIT have shown that the performance of lithium-air ...
Life in genetic limbo: You’ve got the gene but, so far, no disorder
Genetic testing is teaching some people they have the genetic markers of disease, but no symptoms yet. Neither patients nor ...
Still trying to figure out how genes and medication match up
Your genetic makeup does have an impact on the way your body uses medication. There is quite a bit of ...
Can organisms evolve the ability to evolve?
A new study finds that bacteria, like the species that spreads lyme disease, may have evolved the ability to evolve ...
