Genetics

Genetics

Depression leaves lasting mark on DNA

Stress affects cells at the molecular level.

Genetics

Mosquito bites might be foretold in genes

Attractiveness to mosquitoes could be inherited, twin study suggests.

Space

Driving Curiosity to discovery

Discovery is driven by curiosity, on Mars and closer to home.

Animals

Finland’s brown bears on surprise fast track to recover diversity

Brown bears in southern Finland show surprisingly fast improvements in genetic diversity and connections with other bears.

Animals

Whether froglets switch sexes distinguishes ‘sex races’

Rana temporaria froglets start all female in one region of Europe; in another region, new froglets of the same species have gonads of either sex.

Plants

Bits of bacterial DNA naturally lurk inside sweet potatoes

Samples of cultivated sweet potatoes worldwide carry DNA from Agrobacterium cousin of bacterium used for GMOs.

Health & Medicine

Same mutations can show up in tumors, healthy tissues

Analyzing samples of healthy and tumor tissues could pinpoint which mutations are driving cancer and help develop better-targeted treatments.

Plants

From lemons to kumquats, roots of citrus variety dug up

Citrus fruits’ lineage is traced through chloroplast DNA, revealing both maternal and paternal heritage.

Science & Society

The Angelina effect should be about knowing your cancer risk

Angelina Jolie’s public message about her medical decisions related to cancer is about knowing your risks for disease, not hers.

Genetics

Mountain gorilla genome reveals inbreeding

Mountain gorillas are highly inbred, with good and bad consequences.

Genetics

Contagious cancer found in clams

A soft-shell clam disease is just the third example of a contagious cancer.

Genetics

Mummies tell tuberculosis tales from the crypt

Hungarian mummies contracted multiple strains of tuberculosis at the same time, researchers find.