'Killer sperm' Prevents Mating Between Worm Species
The classic definition of a biological species is the ability to breed within its group, and the inability to breed outside it. For instance, breeding a horse and a donkey…
genetics
Marmoset Sequence Sheds Light on Primate Biology, Evolution
A team of scientists from around the world led by Baylor College of Medicine and Washington University in St. Louis has completed the genome sequence of the common marmoset –…
Friends Share Genetic Similarities
If you consider your friends family, you may be on to something. A study from the University of California, San Diego, and Yale University finds that friends who are not…
U.S. Researchers Call for Greater Oversight of Powerful Genetic Technology
In 2011, experiments that allowed the potentially deadly H5N1 flu virus to spread between mammals ignited intense discussions about whether such research should be done at all, much less published….
Genetic Basis for Distinct Type of Autism Uncovered
A variation in the CHD8 gene has a strong likelihood of leading to a type of autism accompanied by digestive problems, a larger head and wide-set eyes. “We finally got…
Will Genome Sequencing Make Us Smarter About Dealing With Diseases in Our Genes—Or Just More Anxious?
There was a time when parents of newborns were perfectly content to know only a few basic things about their babies: their height, their weight, their apgar score, and which…