Mummies tell the story of centuries-old E.coli
As humans did not have the current means of recording events and knowledge of diseases, it’s difficult to study the history of humans and diseases. Rare gold mines of preserved genetic material come around once every so often, slowly giving us more and more insight into our fascinating past. This Read More...
Rare white wallabies get their color from viral DNA
Wallabies are adorable marsupials with an appetite for greens and veggies. The majority of these animals can be found hopping around Papua New Guinea or Australia and naturally have a brown or gray coat, enabling them to blend in with their surroundings and avoid predators. While brown Read More...
Genetic study opens new hope for acne treatment
With the rise of maskne, many more of us have had to deal with the skin disease that is acne. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, over 50 million people have acne in the US. Caused by a disorder of the sebaceous glands, the condition causes breakouts, irritation, and scarring as well Read More...
DNA mutations are not so random after all
A first of its kind study has added some evidence to challenge the widely accepted theory about genetic mutations: that they are completely random. The findings, published in Nature, could reshape evolutionary theories and our understanding of DNA forever. "We always thought of mutation as Read More...
Scientists invent the fastest DNA sequencing tool yet
A record breaking technique A team from the Stanford School of Medicine has created a new method of mega-sequencing. Using this, individuals can have their three billion plus nucleotides read in just over five hours, a record breaking time! "A few weeks is what most clinicians call 'rapid' when Read More...
Ancient nits aid uncovering of human ancestry
To uncover information about ancient genomes scientists have previously relied on fossils of bones and teeth. Alongside ethical issues, the problem with this is most genetic sequences obtained from this old DNA are fragmented and incomplete. A group of researchers from the University of Reading and Read More...
Researchers determine the evolution path of ancient giant orangutans
Once the dwellers of mainland Southeast Asia, the ancient giant orangutan is now extinct. Today, orangutans are only found in their natural habitat on the two islands of Sumatra and Borneo. These two are classed as different species due to the fact they grew so genetically different from each Read More...
Sequencing shark DNA could lead to better treatments for cancer
There’s no doubt that sharks are one of the most feared creatures on Earth, but they are also one of the most sophisticated and enduring ones. They are particularly good at healing themselves and resisting cancer, with some species even living to the ripe old age of 400. In an attempt to decode Read More...