genetics

Latest in genetics

This fluorescence image shows chloroplasts (magenta colored) successfully incorporated into the hamster cells, with other features of the animal cell also highlighted (nuclei in light blue and organelles in yellow-green).

Science

Bioengineers made mutant, solar-powered hamster cells Bioengineers made mutant, solar-powered hamster cells

Ripe tomatoes on green garden.

Science

They CRISPR’ed tomatoes to make them sweet and large They CRISPR’ed tomatoes to make them sweet and large

a 900 year old skeleton

Science

Tooth powder unlocks clues to an 800-year-old mystery of man thrown into well Tooth powder unlocks clues to an 800-year-old mystery of man thrown into well

By Laura Baisas

two stalk-eyed flies fight on a stick. these flies have long antennae with eyeballs on the tips

Environment

Flies with shorter eye-stalks act aggressively because females are less attracted to them Flies with shorter eye-stalks act aggressively because females are less attracted to them

By Laura Baisas

Close up of memory crystal disc encoded with human genome

Technology

In case of extinction, scientists store human genome on a ‘memory crystal’ that lasts billions of years In case of extinction, scientists store human genome on a ‘memory crystal’ that lasts billions of years

Mini mum is one of the smallest frogs in the world, described by Mark D. Scherz and his colleagues in 2019. These tiny frogs from southeastern Madagascar live in amongst the leaf litter and feed on tiny mites. They are amongst the target species of the GEMINI project, because their closest relatives are ten times larger.

Science

Researchers want to unlock genetics of the world’s tiniest animals Researchers want to unlock genetics of the world’s tiniest animals

several loaves of golden rustic looking bread on a table

Environment

How farming helped humans evolve to get more energy from carbs How farming helped humans evolve to get more energy from carbs

By Laura Baisas

a moth with a yellow body, pink legs, and pink and yellow wings sits on a green leaf

Environment

The ‘disco’ gene could help moths tell time The ‘disco’ gene could help moths tell time

By Laura Baisas

Illustration of woolly mammoth walking icy plain

Animals

The last woolly mammoths were impressively inbred—but that’s not what killed them The last woolly mammoths were impressively inbred—but that’s not what killed them

Detail from the reconstructed stone tzompantli, or skull rack, at Chichén Itzá.

Archaeology

Ancient Mayan human sacrifices involved twins Ancient Mayan human sacrifices involved twins

DNA test tube and cotton swab wipe test

Biology

Law enforcement collected over 1.5 million people’s DNA since 2020 Law enforcement collected over 1.5 million people’s DNA since 2020

Archivist scanning documents at National Archives

Technology

Ancestry and the National Archives are digitizing tens of millions of records Ancestry and the National Archives are digitizing tens of millions of records

Pigs in sty at factory farm

Environment

Gene-edited pigs immune to deadly virus could arrive on farms by next year Gene-edited pigs immune to deadly virus could arrive on farms by next year

Woman's hands holding 23andMe saliva testing box

Technology

23andMe says a data breach affected nearly half of its 14 million users 23andMe says a data breach affected nearly half of its 14 million users

Closeup multicolor image of anthrobot

Technology

Meet ‘anthrobots,’ tiny bio-machines built from human tracheal cells Meet ‘anthrobots,’ tiny bio-machines built from human tracheal cells

a collection of woolly mammoth figurines on petri dishes on a blue background to represent Colossal's de-extinction project

Environment

Is de-extinction only a pipette dream? This startup has a big, expensive plan to find out. Is de-extinction only a pipette dream? This startup has a big, expensive plan to find out.

By Andrew Zaleski

Spider silk stronger than Kevlar spun by an unlikely source

Technology

Spider silk stronger than Kevlar spun by an unlikely source Spider silk stronger than Kevlar spun by an unlikely source

Purple and blue visualizations of human chromosomes.

Science

The final missing piece of the human genome has been decoded The final missing piece of the human genome has been decoded

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

parasitic horsehair worm

Science

‘Brainwashing’ parasites inherit a strange genetic gap ‘Brainwashing’ parasites inherit a strange genetic gap

By Maddi Langweil

Science

Cells have some clever tricks for copying DNA Cells have some clever tricks for copying DNA

By Amber Dance/Knowable Magazine