ADVERTISEMENT
illustration of virus particles and DNA strands
Ancient Viral DNA Plays a Role in Human Disease and Development
Viral remnants make up 8 percent of the human genome, and a new study finds that these sequences are still active in healthy people.
Ancient Viral DNA Plays a Role in Human Disease and Development
Ancient Viral DNA Plays a Role in Human Disease and Development

Viral remnants make up 8 percent of the human genome, and a new study finds that these sequences are still active in healthy people.

Viral remnants make up 8 percent of the human genome, and a new study finds that these sequences are still active in healthy people.

evolution, disease & medicine

Watercolor coronaviruses in green, red, blue, and purple are layered above an abstract background of watercolor swashes
Plenty of Evidence for Recombination in SARS-CoV-2
Abby Olena, PhD | Sep 2, 2021 | 7 min read
Different variants of the virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic are swapping chunks of genetic material, but it’s not yet clear what implications that may have for public health.
SARS-CoV-2 with Genomic Deletions Escapes an Antibody
Abby Olena, PhD | Feb 16, 2021 | 4 min read
Researchers identify deletions in the N-terminal domain of the spike protein that allow the coronavirus to avoid antibody neutralization and that may contribute to the emergence of new variants.
Mosquitos in Asia and the Americas More Susceptible to Zika Virus
Abby Olena, PhD | Nov 19, 2020 | 4 min read
A study explains how Zika was present among mosquitoes in Africa for decades without causing the harm to human health seen outside the continent in recent years.
Contributors
The Scientist | Jun 1, 2020 | 3 min read
Meet some of the people featured in the June 2020 issue of The Scientist.
Infographic: Researchers Take Aim at Cancer Evolution
Catherine Offord | Apr 1, 2020 | 2 min read
Strategies to trick, manipulate, and direct the evolution of tumors
Cancer Researchers Use Evolution to Target Drug Resistance
Catherine Offord | Apr 1, 2020 | 10+ min read
New therapeutic approaches in oncology aim to manipulate or block cancer’s adaptation to treatment.
HIV virus
HIV-1 Genome Extracted from 1966 Tissue Sample
Nicoletta Lanese | Aug 19, 2019 | 2 min read
Scientists spent five years reconstructing what is now the oldest HIV-1 genome yet recovered.
an illustration of the inside of a blood vessel with a buildup of plaque
Gene Mutation Could Explain Humans’ High Risk of Heart Attack
Shawna Williams | Jul 23, 2019 | 2 min read
Mutating a gene called CMAH in mice so it’s nonfunctional, as in humans, upped the animals’ chances of developing heart disease, a study finds.
notebook
A Keen Sense of Smell Appears to Go Hand in Hand with Spatial Memory
Shawna Williams | Feb 1, 2019 | 3 min read
Authors of a small study say the two abilities likely evolved in tandem.
Infographic: Human Endogenous Retroviruses and Disease
Katarina Zimmer | Jan 1, 2019 | 3 min read
Human endogenous retroviruses that colonized vertebrate DNA millions of years ago have long been dismissed as junk DNA, but researchers now know that they may play important roles in cancer, neurodegeneration, and other ailments.
Taller People More Prone to Cancer
Abby Olena, PhD | Oct 24, 2018 | 4 min read
The increased risk is slight, but aligns with a longstanding hypothesis that having more cells in one’s body leads to more chances for those cells to become cancerous.
Amazonians Offer Clues to Human Childhood Development
Shawna Williams | Jul 1, 2018 | 4 min read
A study of Shuar children in Ecuador provides a window into how the human body responds to infection in the sorts of conditions that shaped our species’ evolution.
Aging-Related Diseases May Be a Negative Outcome of Human Evolution
Sukanya Charuchandra | May 31, 2018 | 3 min read
Genetic adaptations for human brain development also make us vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study.  
ADVERTISEMENT