A rush of ancient DNA projects in Africa has presented the curators of archaeological skeletons with ethical issues because research requires the destruction of human bone.
Altering the genomes of embryonic cells is illegal in Australia.
from www.shutterstock.com.au
A landmark study in the UK discovered the gene that allows cells to form into embryos. If Australian researchers attempted this they could go to jail for 15 years.
Spend many months attached to the ISS and see how well you grow.
NASA
If you want to live on Mars, you’re going to need to grow food. Seeds are naturally equipped to handle challenging Earth environments, but how well can they survive what they’ll encounter off-planet?
As genes are favored or phased out, human evolution continues.
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Comparing genomes of more than 200,000 people, researchers identified genetic variants that are less common in older people, suggesting natural selection continues to weed out disadvantageous traits.
Plants make proteins based on whatever genetic material you give them.
Carl Davies, CSIRO
Inserting a random DNA mishmash into a plant or bacterium directs it to make a novel protein. Sifting through the resulting molecules, researchers may find ones have medical or agricultural uses.
A recent study shows how the number of vulnerable and endangered amphibians is nearly double that of birds or mammals. Strategies need to be put in place, and fast.
Genetic evidence has become a critical aspect of modern criminal investigations. What are the methods and approaches used in present-day DNA forensics?
A world first study shows CRISPR can remove a target gene from early stage human embryos. But with the advance in science come weighty ethical dilemmas.
The next frontier of data storage: DNA.
ymgerman/Shutterstock.com
Researchers who hold the world record for storing and retrieving data in DNA explain how the building blocks of life can be used to hold digital information as well.
A young breast-cancer patient in her home.
Fototip/Shutterstock
Two US researchers have traced the majority of cancers to DNA replication errors during our natural cell replacement. Their finding asks for a renewed inquiry into the role of “chance” in cancer.
Editing DNA has the potential to treat disease by repairing or removing defective genes.
Kyle Lawson/flickr