Genetics

New research has found one in five people have a genetic mutation that confers greater resilience to cold temperatures. The study shows people with a deficiency generating a skeletal muscle protein shiver less and hold higher core temperatures in the cold.

Scientists have sequenced the genome of a “living fossil” from the time our ancestors first crawled out of the oceans. The Australian lungfish genome is the largest of any animal sequenced so far, revealing it to be our closest living fish relative.

Curing cancer is a noble goal, but sometimes scientists just want to give octopuses ecstasy. From medical marvels to wild speculations about time travel, aliens and the end of the universe, New Atlas revisits some of 2020’s strangest science stories.

Researchers have engineered bovine cells to produce lab-grown beef containing a plant nutrient that is converted into vitamin A in the human body. The researchers suggest lab-grown meats could be engineered to convey a broad assortment of health benefits.

The 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to the two scientists who discovered and refined the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing tool. This allows for relatively simple editing of genes and could revolutionize medicine, agriculture and other fields.

In a wonderful case of blending an ancient therapy with modern tech, scientists gene edited the Leishmania major parasite to limit its infectivity. This allows the parasite to be given to patients in a vaccine, creating immunity without causing disease.

A new study has found young cancer survivors show high expression of a gene known to be an effective marker of aging. The researchers say this genetic biomarker could identify cancer survivors most at risk of later-life frailty due to their treatment.

Using a multi-modal approach to data analysis, scientists have identified a subtype of autism linked with a gene cluster known to affect neurodevelopment and lipid metabolism. It's suggested this subtype accounts for nearly seven percent of autism cases.

A new study is questioning whether Alzheimer’s treatments previously found to be ineffective in human trials should be re-examined, after the discovery of a specific gene that can inhibit a therapy’s efficacy is only present in 75 percent of people.

A new genomic study has homed in on exactly when and where modern penguins originated, suggesting the birds first appeared in Australian and New Zealand waters about 22 million years ago before later spreading south into the cooler Antarctic waters.

New research suggests violent or traumatic experiences in childhood can accelerate biological signs of aging. Early puberty, rapid cellular aging, and structural brain changes could all be linked to violent childhood trauma, but not poverty or neglect.

Researchers have, for the first time, successfully gene edited a cephalopod. Using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, the research breakthrough will now allow scientists to conduct novel investigations into medical, robotic, and materials innovations.