An insect’s physical shape and characteristics indicate which species it belongs to, but sometimes species appear remarkably similar. DNA technologies can help identify and discover species.
Genomic research stands to help develop new medical treatments – and we need donations of lots of data for this to work. But people don’t want data on their genes to be exploited for profit.
Shai Carmi, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Harald Ringbauer, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Genealogical and genetic ancestors aren’t the same thing. A DNA match − or a lack of one − may not tell you what you imagine it does about your family tree.
Just as the world’s zoos breed critically endangered animals in captivity to repopulate the wild, scientists are building a global effort to freeze corals for reef restoration.
Computer analysis of the genomes of extremophiles — organisms that live in extreme environments — reveals that their living conditions are recorded in their DNA.
New research suggests the gut bacteria of red and grey squirrels differ significantly, potentially explaining the decline of the native red and the success of its grey counterpart.
We tend to just think of viruses in terms of their damaging impacts on human health and lives. But viruses can also be used to benefit human health, agriculture and the environment.
Did the enormous West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse the last time global temperatures were 1.5°C above preindustrial levels? The answer lay in the DNA of an octopus.