Genes & Cells

Smoking can damage DNA in a flash, plus more in this week's news

Quick hit
Smoking can cause immediate damage to DNA, a new study warns. Within minutes of puffing a cigarette, a chemical in smoke called a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, or PAH, gets converted into a DNA-damaging form known as a PAH diol epoxide in smokers’ blood, researchers from the University of Minnesota discovered.