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Articles on Genetics

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Imagine your DNA as strands of fairy lights – and if a globe blew, you could remove it and pop in another. kyz/Flickr

Explainer: what is genome editing?

Mistakes in the paper version of the Encyclopædia Britannica took a long time to correct – years often passed between revised editions – but these days editing information is much easier. In electronic…
An Inupiat Eskimo family from Alaska in 1929, whose ancestors would have crossed Beringia thousands of years previously. Edward Curtis

First Americans lived on land bridge for thousands of years, genetics study suggests

The theory that the Americas were populated by humans crossing from Siberia to Alaska across a land bridge was first proposed as far back as 1590, and has been generally accepted since the 1930s. But genetic…
Moving forward in science doesn’t mean moving back in politics. Weeklydig

Gay genetics research still causes irrational fears

Why does a “gay gene” paper still cause a stir? A similar paper on any other topic would probably have passed unnoticed. But this is sex research – where public interest is huge but real funds and real…
The disease is written in our DNA code… somewhere. www.shutterstock.aom

Diving deep into data to crack the gene code on disease

The key to understanding disease is in our DNA – the human genome which contains the instructions on how our body should develop and grow. The key to progress in genomics research is in combining as much…
How many A*s does one family need? Andrew Milligan/PA

Twins show success at school is not just down to genes

There is a common misconception that genes are deterministic and that human potential is fixed at birth. This could not be further from the truth. We, as behavioural geneticists, see no evidence whatsoever…
Unlocking the code for global solutions. ricricciardi

Genetics may be key to climate change solutions

As the effects of climate change rapidly alter communities, economies and natural systems, the need to advance new solutions to what may be the most pressing biological challenge of our time has never…
Research into the complex causes of schizophrenia continues. shutterstock

The genetics behind schizophrenia just got more complex

An international team of researchers has found that the cause of schizophrenia is even more complex than already believed, with rare gene mutations contributing to the disorder. In two studies published…
Heritability: how much do your genes impact your traits? Jenn Durfey

Explainer: what is heritability?

Schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder and autism have all had recent attention for being “genetically caused”. In scientific research being genetically caused usually corresponds to having a high…
How much do genes really influence exam results? Exam image from www.shutterstock.com

Genes have a big impact on exam results: UK research

New research claims genetics play an important role in the exam results of British teenagers, even more important than their home life or their teachers. The research, conducted by academics in the United…

Pollution and genes increase autism risk

Air pollutants may increase the risk of autism in people who have a genetic disposition to the condition. US researchers…
It’s hard to replace plain flour with self-raising flour in a cake, but luckily, our chromosomes are more like cars. juni xu

Explainer: what is gene therapy?

Every now and again you might read about gene therapy and efforts to correct serious genetic diseases. But I’m betting that very few readers have had gene therapy, nor have they ever met anyone who has…
Use-by dates: human chromosomes with their telomeres highlighted. NASA

Do Finnish men age faster when unemployed?

Men who are unemployed for more than two years show signs of faster ageing in their DNA, according to a study published today in the journal PLOS ONE. Researchers at the University of Oulu, Finland and…
Granny, why are your eyes so big? Gustave Dore

As they spread, folktales evolve like biological species

We all know the story: Once upon a time there was a young girl who took a walk through the woods to visit her grandmother, carrying a basket of goodies. When she arrived she found her granny ill in bed…

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