Genetics, features and articles | Educational Science

Apr 30, 2021

First genetically modified mosquitoes released in US

The biotech firm Oxitec has released its genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys, with the goal of suppressing wild, disease-carrying mosquito populations in the region. This is the first time genetically modified mosquitoes have been released in the U.S. Oxitec previously released its modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Brazil,...

Apr 30, 2021

First remains from doomed 19th-century Arctic expedition identified

On July 9, 1845, John Gregory, an engineer on an ocean expedition to the Arctic, wrote a letter to his wife, Hannah, from a stop in Greenland. That was the last time his family would hear from Gregory, who, along with 128 others, perished after their ships became trapped in...

Apr 30, 2021

Genes from algae helped a blind man recover some of his vision

A blind man who could only perceive the faintest bit of light can now perceive fuzzy shapes, thanks to gene therapy and a pair of specially engineered goggles. The man was diagnosed with a condition called retinitis pigmentosa 40 years ago, at the age of 18, according to a new...

Feb 28, 2021

Scientists want to store DNA of 6.7 million species on the moon, just in case

A lunar ark hidden inside the moon's lava tubes could preserve the sperm, eggs and seeds of millions of Earth's species, a group of scientists has proposed. The ark, or gene bank, would be safely hidden in these hollowed-out tunnels and caves sculpted by lava more than 3 billion years...

Feb 28, 2021

What is DNA?

DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, and it's a molecule that supplies the genetic instructions that tell living creatures how to develop, live and reproduce. DNA can be found inside every cell and is passed down from parents to their offspring. What is DNA made of?DNA is made up of molecules...

Feb 28, 2023

Unknown lineage of ice age Europeans discovered in genetic study

A previously unknown lineage of Europeans survived the coldest parts of the last ice age, only to vanish when Europe went through a warm spell starting about 15,000 years ago. The discovery comes from the largest study yet to look at the genetic makeup of ice age European hunter-gatherers. For...

Feb 28, 2023

Gene therapy: What is it and how does it work?

Gene therapy has been headline news in recent years, in part due to the rapid development of biotechnology that enables doctors to administer such treatments. Broadly, gene therapies are techniques used to treat or prevent disease by tweaking the content or expression of cells' DNA, often by replacing faulty genes...

Oct 13, 2021

Analysis of ancient teeth questions theory that Native Americans originated from Japan

Native Americans may not have originated in Japan as previous archaeological evidence has suggested, according to a new study of ancient teeth. For years, archaeologists had predicted that the first people to live in North America descended directly from a group called the Jomon, who occupied ancient Japan about 15,000...

Oct 15, 2021

DNA paternity tests: how they work and how to do one

A DNA paternity test works a lot like other genetic tests, such as to discover distant relatives, ancestral origins, or even health risks. Now available over the counter, these DNA tests compare samples of a father and child's genetic code to provide an accurate indicator of paternity. DNA paternity testing...

Oct 27, 2021

Great-grandson of iconic Native American leader Sitting Bull confirmed by DNA analysis

Science has confirmed a man in South Dakota is the great-grandson of the iconic Native American leader Sitting Bull. DNA from the famous chieftain's hair matched that of Ernie LaPointe, who has long claimed this famous relation. Sitting Bull, also known as Tatanka-Iyotanka, led the Lakota tribe of Sioux people...

Oct 28, 2021

Newly named human species may be the direct ancestor of modern humans

Scientists have named a new species that may have been the direct ancestor of modern humans. The newly proposed species, Homo bodoensis — which lived more than half a million years ago in Africa — may help to untangle how human lineages moved and interacted across the globe. Although modern...

Nov 9, 2021

How accurate are DNA tests?

With genetic testing for health, ancestry, paternity and more becoming increasingly popular, many people are left wondering: exactly how accurate are DNA tests? Whether you are taking a DNA test to build your extended DNA family tree with an AncestryDNA testing kit, or want precise information on hereditary health conditions...

Nov 23, 2021

1st drug to treat genetic cause of dwarfism approved by FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first drug to treat the most common form of dwarfism, known as achondroplasia. Achondroplasia is caused by mutations in the FGFR3 gene, which encodes instructions to build a protein involved in bone growth and development, according to the Genetic and Rare...

Nov 23, 2021

Natural selection has been acting on hundreds of human genes in the last 3,000 years

Natural selection, the evolutionary process that guides which traits become more common in a population, has been acting on us for the past 3,000 years, right up to the modern day, new research suggests. And it seems to be acting in surprising ways on complex traits encoded by multiple genes,...

Nov 23, 2021

Dog DNA tests: How accurate are they, and what can you learn?

For the genealogically curious, DNA tests are increasingly popular as holiday gifts, and this is not just limited to test kits for humans: Dog DNA tests are now available to give you insights into your pooch's genetic makeup. While genetic testing for human ancestry and disorders has been around for...