genetics
Sperm carries more than just a father’s genetics
Eat poorly, and your body will remember—and possibly pass the consequences onto your kids. In the past several years, mounting ...
DNA testing to reunite separated families—what we learned from the grandmothers of Argentina
The idea to use DNA testing to reunite families separated at US borders due to the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” ...
Humans have never lived ‘in balance with nature,’ and we shouldn’t try to today
Before the agricultural revolution .... life was hard .... And there was no question of living in "harmony with nature." ...
We’re in the early stages of a genetic revolution. Should we be worried?
Many people have overestimated the effects of genetic era. The truth is that we still don't know what most of ...
Why is there so much ‘fear and loathing’ of anything biotech?
In this era marked by Grand Canyon-sized divides among Americans, there’s one subject that seems to unite people, no matter ...
Can you inherit a laugh? Book explores this and other genetics questions
Why are people today often taller than their ancestors? If you have blue eyes or red hair, does that mean your children will ...
Talking Biotech: Why Irish scientist Rosalind Franklin didn’t get the credit she deserved for the discovery of the structure of DNA
Geneticist Mark Lawler: Despite being instrumental in the discovery of DNA’s double-helical structure, Rosalind Franklin died at the age of ...
If DNA can predict facial construction, how can we ever have genetic privacy?
DNA can now predict your facial structure. What does that mean for personal privacy? ...
How dreams may help us declutter our brains and solve problems
Do you remember your dreams from last night? In how much detail? Were they related to anything you experienced during ...
Antibiotic resistance may be dangerous—but it’s hardly new
Despite media reports, antibiotics always faced microbe resistance. Can studying their genetics show us a path to new drugs ...
Managed well, cattle feedlots can be the environmental and ethical smart choice
Although grass-fed is touted as the environmentally and ethically best choice for beef eaters, feedlots often outperform on both fronts ...
Why does a drug work for you, but not for your sibling or friend? It’s in the genes
If you think you're not getting the same benefit from an over-the-counter medicine you've taken that others are getting, your ...
Fighting deadly adverse drug reactions through precision medicine
Lee Tan, a 41-year-old marketing professional and copywriter in Vancouver, Canada, was diagnosed with high blood pressure three years ago ...
Talking Biotech: How rice became one of the world’s most important food crops
Rice geneticist Susan McCouch: How and where rice was domesticated, and how many varieties are there? ...
Regulating fast-moving consumer genetic testing industry is no small challenge
Submitting a vial of spit to a genetic testing company is easy. Understanding the implications — and regulating the burgeoning ...
We know the placebo effect is biological. Is it also genetic?
We know that the placebo effect is in part biological: expectations of receiving a palliative leads to brain changes. Are ...
Are consumer genetic tests misused by doctors and alternative health providers?
Health practitioners with little or no training or perspective in genetics are dabbling in this rapidly advancing field. Utilizing results ...
Why a global decline in genetic crop variety matters for the future of food
Preserving the genetic diversity of edible plants could help us develop new crop varieties, with useful traits such as drought ...
Viewpoint: Public enthusiasm for genetics tempered by distrust, privacy concerns
Cheaper genome sequencing is expanding our ability to understand risks associated with genetic mutations. But not everyone embraces these advances, ...
Marrying close relatives offers genetic risks and benefits for offspring
Endogamy is a powerful but controversial cultural tool. It also can play surprising roles in health and disease ...
To protect vineyards from pests and reduce pesticide use, CRISPR could be the answer
The powdery mildew fungus decimates vineyards around the globe. As pesticides become less effective, some scientists are turning to gene ...
Molecular clocks rewriting the story of human evolution
Analyzing DNA from present-day and ancient genomes provides a complementary approach for dating evolutionary events. By comparing DNA sequences, geneticists ...
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 ...
Can’t get motivated? You may be able to blame your genes
Being apathetic may feel like following the path of least resistance. But studies of apathy in the brain show otherwise ...
Viewpoint: Will Europe botch regulation of gene editing as it has GMOs?
Plant biologist: Europe's precautionary stance toward agricultural biotechnology has all but blocked the introduction of GM crops and could provide ...
Viewpoint: European anti-tech groups threaten to derail CRISPR gene editing in agriculture
The political decision of how to regulate gene editing and other New Breeding Techniques (NBTs) will determine whether Europe becomes ...
Time to stop treating men and women the same when it comes to drug treatments
Studies have shown that males and females metabolize drugs differently, suggesting we should be spending more time studying those differences ...
