Why was one gene mutation that affects hair, teeth, sweat glands and breasts ubiquitous among ice age Arctic people? New research points to the advantage it provided for ancestors of Native Americans.
Rees Kassen, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa
As a post-antibiotic future beckons, how can humanity protect itself against the proliferation of superbugs? Research suggests ‘drug sanctuaries’ in hospitals could be a promising solution.
Northern seals use strong claws to tear apart large prey and this gives us clues about how the earliest seals likely behaved when they first began feeding in water.
Rather than trying to out-compete each other, flowers may work together to attract bees en masse. It’s the sort of approach that is effective in the world of advertising too.
Dogs don’t follow the rules on larger animals living longer. A 70kg Great Dane is lucky to reach seven years, but a 4kg Chihuahua can live for 10 years or more.
A core idea in molecular biology is that one gene codes for one protein. Now biologists have found an example of a gene that yields two forms of a protein – enabling it to evolve new functionality.
The genes in our cells’ mitochondria are passed on in a different way than the vast majority of our DNA. New studies shed light on how the unique process isn’t derailed by mutations.
The short answer is no. An individual of one species cannot, during its lifetime, turn into another species. But your question helps us think about life, evolution and what it means to be human.
Australia’s credit reporting system is about to be updated, and new research shows it’s past due. The current system simply doesn’t provide either lenders or borrowers with enough information.
Many living vertebrates have the ability to detect electric fields, especially in other animals when hunting. But what can the fossil record tell us about the origins of this sensory system?