To the surprise of scientists, the most dangerous cancers of the uterine lining closely resemble the worst ovarian and breast cancers, raising the tantalizing possibility that the three deadly cancers might respond to the same drugs. This finding, part of a major new study, is the best evidence yet that cancer will increasingly be seen as a disease defined by its…
In the latest edition of the open access journal PLoS Biology, a group of UK biologists has detailed new insights into the differences and similarities between flowering plants’ petal and leaf formation. Roses are the perfect example of how the same plant can grow pointed leaves, but fan-shaped petals use a similar signaling process, according to the researchers. The group, led…
A new survey commissioned by 23andMe – the leading personal genetics company – in celebration of DNA Day reveals that the majority of Americans have an interest in learning more about themselves by exploring their DNA, even though many do not fully understand how their DNA functions. “A majority of Americans are interested in the knowledge that their genetic information…
An international team of scientists has used ancient DNA recovered from human remains dating from up to 5,500 BC to reconstruct the first detailed genetic history of modern Europe. “This is the first high-resolution genetic record of these lineages through time, and it is fascinating that we can directly observe both human DNA evolving in ‘real-time’, and the dramatic population…
Excerpt: If you’ve ever tried to decorate a room and have been frustrated because there weren’t pieces of furniture that were uniquely “you,” you might be in luck. Dutch design studio Tjep. will present its first exhibition of DNA furniture and jewelry, called “Future Nostalgia,” at Ventura Lambrate in Milan this month. That’s right — furniture shaped by DNA data. Frank Tjepkema, founder of Tjep. studio, is…
Michael Specter writes for the New Yorker and discusses the question: Can we patent life? Excerpt: The intellectual and commercial bounty from that research has already been enormous, and it increases nearly every day, as we learn ways in which specific genes are associated with diseases—or with mechanisms that can prevent them. It took thousands of scientists and technicians more…