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evolution, genetics & genomics

Blind Cavefish in Mexico Offer Clues to Sleep Regulation
Catherine Offord | Feb 6, 2018 | 2 min read
Two studies identify a signaling pathway that contributes to the fish’s sleeplessness.
Insects Are Increasingly Evolving Resistance to Genetically Modified Crops
Ashley P. Taylor | Oct 13, 2017 | 2 min read
Plantings of non-GM refuges counter the development of resistance.
Study Illuminates Genetics of Skin Color
Ashley P. Taylor | Oct 12, 2017 | 2 min read
Researchers identified genes related to melanin levels in African populations.
Fingerprints of Ongoing Human Evolution Found
Shawna Williams | Sep 5, 2017 | 4 min read
Genetic variants in Alzheimer’s- and smoking-related genes appear to be under selection pressure, according to a study comparing the genomes of old and young participants.
Global Patterns of Human Epigenetic Variation
Ashley Yeager | Aug 28, 2017 | 3 min read
A study of five far-flung human populations gives clues to adaptations to environmental pressures.
Mammals May Have a 12-Hour Clock
Ashley Yeager | Jun 6, 2017 | 3 min read
Data point to peaks in gene expression in the morning and evening that are distinct from day-night circadian cycles.
Genetic Analysis Reveals the Evolutionary History of Dogs
Diana Kwon | Apr 26, 2017 | 1 min read
By analyzing the genomes of 161 dog breeds, scientists discover how and when certain canine breeds emerged.
How Plants Evolved to Eat Meat
Diana Kwon | Feb 6, 2017 | 2 min read
Pitcher plants across different continents acquired their tastes for meat in similar ways.
How an Invasive Bee Managed to Thrive in Australia
Ben Andrew Henry | Jan 1, 2017 | 4 min read
The Asian honeybee should have been crippled by low genetic diversity, but thanks to natural selection it thrived.
Protein Folding Pioneer Dies
Kerry Grens | Oct 28, 2016 | 2 min read
Susan Lindquist of MIT and the Whitehead Institute broke scientific ground on prions and heat shock proteins.
Week in Review: September 5–9
Jef Akst | Sep 8, 2016 | 2 min read
Environmental magnetite in the human brain; prion structure takes shape; watching E. coli evolve in real time; learning from others’ behavior 
On Becoming Human
Mary Beth Aberlin | Aug 1, 2016 | 3 min read
Some thoughts on going to the Galápagos
Pesticide Resistance in a Plant Organelle Drives Down Whole-Genome Diversity
Catherine Offord | Aug 1, 2016 | 2 min read
A chloroplast mutation has dramatically affected the genomes of railside populations of Arabidopsis thaliana.
Decoding Human Accelerated Regions
Katherine S. Pollard | Aug 1, 2016 | 10 min read
Do the portions of our genomes that set us apart from other animals hold the secret to human evolution?
Contributors
The Scientist | Aug 1, 2016 | 3 min read
Meet some of the people featured in the August 2016 issue of The Scientist.
Understanding Human Accelerated Regions
Katherine S. Pollard | Jul 31, 2016 | 1 min read
Fast-evolving regions of the human genome differentiate our species from all other mammals.
Nailing Down HAR Function
Katherine S. Pollard | Jul 31, 2016 | 1 min read
A remaining challenge in the study of human accelerated regions (HARs) is establishing their specific functions during development and other biological processes.
Mysterious Eukaryote Missing Mitochondria
Anna Azvolinsky | May 12, 2016 | 3 min read
Researchers uncover the first example of a eukaryotic organism that lacks the organelles.
Feeling Around in the Dark
Catherine Offord | May 1, 2016 | 4 min read
Scientists work to unlock the genetic secrets of a population of fruit flies kept in total darkness for more than six decades.
Tracking Zika’s Evolution
Jef Akst | Apr 15, 2016 | 2 min read
Sequence analysis of 41 viral strains reveals more than a half-century of change. 
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