Much of what shapes people’s lives happens at an unseen level—it comes down to DNA. This year, The Scientist explored genetic insights into how individuals smell, metabolize alcohol, and even how identical “identical” twins really are. Genetics reach farther than most people realize. As we revisit some of our best genetics coverage, don’t miss these highlights before we head into 2026.
Why Do Some People Get Drunk Faster Than Others?
Why do some people seem to “hold their liquor” while others tip over after a single drink? Along with body size, sex, and the amount of alcohol consumed, genetic differences and tolerance play a major role in how quickly someone feels intoxicated. Key enzymes—alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase—break down alcohol in the body, and variations in these enzymes can change how fast the body metabolizes alcohol and how its byproducts build up. Researchers also study how the brain’s response to alcohol, including effects on motor coordination, differs among individuals, with tolerance developing over time through repeated exposure. In the end, both genetic makeup and past drinking experience help shape how drunk someone gets.
How Are Earwax and Body Odor Linked?
Not many people pay much attention to the end of their Q-tip, but the color and consistency of earwax are linked to a single gene. From sticky, honey-colored wax to white, flakier types, researchers identified the genetic culprit back in 2006. Not only that, but this gene also acts as a sweat courier and contributes to whether someone has body odor. Researchers found the bacterial communities in armpits differ depending on if they have the functional gene or not. This research is shedding light on the complex interplay between genetics and microbes, and it could one day help scientists identify clinically relevant bacteria or even develop new ways to prevent body odor at its source.
Record-Breaking DNA Sequencing Technology Could Transform Newborn Care
When most people think of breaking a Guinness World Record, they imagine a judge with a stopwatch. In this case, however, the record was set with data. A team from Roche, Broad Clinical Labs, and Boston Children's Hospital achieved the fastest genome sequencing ever recorded. The previous record, held by Stanford University, was five hours and two minutes—this new record was cut to just three hours and 57 minutes. While the speed itself is remarkable, the team tested this approach on a small group of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Current workflows for rapid genetic testing can take days, so every hour saved has the potential to make interventions faster and more effective. Though this was a research trial, the team is enthusiastic about its future clinical applications.
Genetically Engineered Male Insects Shorten Their Mates’ Lifespans
Mosquitoes are more than just a nuisance—they’re carriers of diseases like dengue, chikungunya, malaria, and Zika fever. Making matters worse, many mosquito populations are becoming resistant to traditional pesticides. To tackle this, researchers turned to genetics instead of chemicals, engineering male insects to carry toxic proteins that can reduce the lifespan of disease-spreading females during mating. At Macquarie University, scientists tested this approach in fruit flies, using toxic proteins derived from spiders and sea anemones, and successfully shortened the lifespan of female mates. While still early-stage, these findings offer promising insights for future studies in genetic biocontrol.
The first genetic fingerprint was produced by Alec Jeffreys at Leicester University in 1984, ushering in a new era of processing biological samples.
Science Museum Group, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
DNA Profiling: Tracing Killers and Solving Mysteries Using Genetic Clues
Before the use of genetics and DNA profiling in crime cases, it could be even harder for law enforcement to pinpoint the culprit. This feature dives into the history of the earliest uses of DNA profiling that exonerated an innocent boy and caught the perpetrator. Other uses of this technology and further improvements to its resolution have even helped researchers trace back the ancestry of one of the largest mysteries—Russia’s last Imperial family, the Romanovs—and have accelerated the identification of victims in disasters. Today, forensic DNA remains a powerful tool, offering investigators unprecedented insight into crime scenes and human history alike.
Are Identical Twins Really Identical?
Seeing identical twins can feel like looking into a mirror, but despite sharing the same DNA, important differences lie beneath the surface. Researchers have long observed that twins can vary in susceptibility to disease, but why is that? This question motivated Tim Spector, a genetic epidemiologist at King’s College London to investigate the chemical changes, such as DNA methylation and histone acetylation, in identical and non-identical twins across the UK. Spector and his colleagues found that twins indeed had varied epigenetic differences. Some of these changes were associated with conditions such as obesity, metabolic disease, and type 2 diabetes, where one sibling developed the condition while the other did not. These insights can help researchers identify the factors that may contribute to disease mechanisms.
