Scientists can tweak one gene to extend lifespans by up to 30%
Researchers have identified a particular cellular protein that affects aging. They’ve also managed to tweak this gene to produce it in fruit flies, extending their …
genetics
Latest genetics
Bizarre ‘mind-controlling’ parasitic worm lacks genes found in every known animal
Our world is full of bizarre and intriguing creatures. One of the strangest, though, is the hairworm, a parasitic worm known as a “mind control …
Dogs in Chernobyl are evolving faster, new study claims
The explosion of the Chernobyl reactor in 1986 left a large area around the plant uninhabitable by humans because of lingering nuclear radiation. However, animals, …
New study claims many centipedes see without sensing light at all
Most domains of life rely on light-sensing proteins or organisms to help them sense light. Even smaller single-celled microbes respond to light by relying on …
New discovery shows that humans still have genes for a full coat of fur
The fur gene is still present in humans, according to a new study published in eLife. The new research claims that the hairlessness of certain …
Scientists in China created the first-ever mammal with fully reprogrammed genes
Scientists have been messing around with genetics for years now. One of the most powerful gene-editing tools, CRISPR, has even allowed them to create genetically …
Scientists may have figured out how the immortal jellyfish lives forever
Immortality has long been sought after. From rumors of a fountain of youth to the possibility of anti-aging medications, being able to reverse aging has …
A genetics company is now trying to revive the extinct Tasmanian tiger
The Tasmanian tiger once roamed the Australian mainland, Tasmania, and New Guinea. It first appeared around 4 million years ago and was one of the …
A new study says humans might have the genetic capability to spit venom
All living creatures evolve over the years, adapting to their immediate living conditions in order to survive. That includes humans as well, who have evolved …
Novel CRISPR system can stop cancer in its tracks
Scientists have developed a new system using the CRISPR genome-editing system to attack and kill cancer cells. The system targets cancel cells directly and, like …
Scientists actually reversed human aging using a revolutionary new treatment
Scientists have developed a new therapy that they say can actually reverse aging on a genetic level. By having participants breathe pure oxygen in a …
Scientists genetically modified a mouse to be 4 percent human
Scientists injected human stem cells into mouse embryos and let them develop. One of the resulting embryos had 4% human cells after 17 days of …
Scientists invented a way to make live plants glow – and it’s insane
A new breed of glowing plants has been developed by scientists using the same compounds that allow naturally luminescent fungi to glow. By engineering the …
Chinese scientist who genetically edited babies will spend 3 years in prison
One of the craziest stories to come out of 2018 was the saga of a Chinese scientist named He Jiankui. The genetics researcher took it …
Chinese scientists created ‘monkey pigs’ by adding primate cells to pig embryos
If there’s one thing sci-fi movies have taught us over the year it’s that combining one animal with another animal almost always ends badly. Scientists …
Those gene-edited babies in China have unexpected mutations
In late 2018, a Chinese genetics researcher named He Jiankui announced that he had genetically modified babies that were then carried to term and born. …
Mind-blowing drug trials show it’s possible to reverse biological age
The relentless march of time will eventually claim all of our lives — or at least that’s the reality we’ve all come to expect. Short …
Scientists in Japan get clearance for growing human-animal hybrids
Genetic modification can be a touchy subject in scientific circles, especially when the life form being modified is an animal. Researchers fear that the consequences …
Doctors are sick and tired of at-home ‘cancer screening’ kits that send people into a panic over nothing
There are probably a lot of things that annoy doctors. Patients diving into symptom-tracking websites like WebMD and convincing themselves they have a dire illness …
Scientists say genetically modified babies will have shorter lives
In late 2018 a Chinese scientist name He Jiankui performed work that has gained him not only the criticism of his peers but also backlash …
Scientists discover why grocery store tomatoes don’t taste like anything
Have you ever eaten a perfectly ripe tomato and wondered why you even bother? Tomatoes are a staple in sandwiches and salads, and you can …
Chinese scientists put human brain genes in a monkey
Everything we know about evolution tells us that humans have primate ancestors, and that the development of our complex brains is what allowed ancient humans …
Doctors accidentally discovered a 66-year-old Scottish woman who feels absolutely no pain
Pain is something that the vast majority of us just have to deal with, and sometimes on a daily basis. Not being able to feel …
World Health Organization joins fight against lax genetic editing standards
It’s now been several months since Chinese scientist He Jiankui revealed that he had successfully edited the genes of human embryos, which were then carried …
Scientists demand a prohibition on human genetic modification
It’s now been several months since Chinese geneticist He Jiankui announced to the world that he had genetically modified human embryos which were then carried …
China’s gene-edited babies may have enhanced intelligence due to genetic quirk
Late last year, a Chinese scientist named He Jiankui boldly declared that he had produced what would be the world’s first genetically modified humans. In …
Scientists are now testing genetically modified mosquitoes, which is just as scary as it sounds
In many developed countries, mosquitoes are a nuisance that also have the potential to be carriers for disease. In areas where malaria runs rampant, however, …
