BRINGING ‘EM BACK ALIVE Scientists think they have the tools to transform elephants into woolly mammoths (illustrated) and reverse extinction. A new book explores the promise and pitfalls of de-extinction.
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Magazine
In the Oct. 28 SN: Real-life vampires, the ultimate flu shot, no rings for Pluto, tsunami debris stowaways, jellyfish flouts sleep stereotypes, honey carries pesticides, teen concussion stats, a shape-shifting robot and more.
Genes & Cells
Topic Image Rail
SEEING DOUBLE Some DNA is duplicated in humans. The copies may be responsible for some uniquely human traits and diseases.
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POULTRY PROBLEMS So far, most cases of human H7N9 infection have come from exposure to birds, often in live poultry markets. Here, epidemiologists collect samples at a market in Dongguan, China, in 2014.
CDC/Shuqing Zhao, China
Genes & Cells
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Genetics
Reviews & Previews
Resurrecting extinct species raises ethical questions
'Rise of the Necrofauna' examines the technical and ethical challenges of bringing woolly mammoths and other long-gone creatures back from the dead.News
Doubling up on ‘junk DNA’ helps make us human
DNA duplicated only in humans may contribute to human traits and disease. -
Cells
News
Immune cells play surprising role in steady heartbeat
Immune system cells called macrophages help heart cells rhythmically contract, maintaining the beat of mice’s hearts.Science Visualized
Cells’ stunning complexity on display in a new online portal
A new online explorer tool from the Allen Institute for Cell Science shows 3-D models of cell interiors. -
Development
News
Embryos kill off male tissue to become female
Female embryos actively dismantle male reproductive tissue, a textbook-challenging study suggests.News
How bearded dragons switch their sex
RNA editing might affect reptile sex determination at temperature extremes. -
Physiology
News
Cracking the body clock code wins trio a Nobel Prize
Circadian clock researchers take home the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine.Science TickerBody clock mechanics wins U.S. trio the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine
The cellular mechanisms governing circadian rhythms was a Nobel Prize‒winning discover for three Americans. -
Immune Science
News
The next wave of bird flu could be worse than ever
Deadly bird flu can pass between ferrets through the air.News
When a fungus invades the lungs, immune cells can tell it to self-destruct
Immune system resists fungal infection by directing spores to their death. -
Microbiology
News
Gut fungi might be linked to obesity and inflammatory bowel disorders
Fungi are overlooked contributors to health and disease.Feature
KC Huang probes basic questions of bacterial life
A physicist by training, Kerwyn Casey Huang tries to understand cell shape, movement and growth. -
Epigenetics
News
Proteins that reprogram cells can turn back mice’s aging clock
Proteins that reprogram adult cells to an embryonic-like state can rejuvenate prematurely aging mice.News
Epigenetic marks may help assess toxic exposure risk — someday
Exposure to things in the environment may change chemical tags on DNA and proteins, but it’s still unclear how to use that data to assess health risks. -
Molecular Evolution
Editor's NoteJumping genes are part of all that makes us human
Ask 10 people what makes humans human and you’ll probably get 10 different answers — and then some.News
Ancient enzymes adapted to a cooler Earth to keep life’s chemical reactions going
Ancient enzymes kept their speed at lower temperatures.
