Genetic Evolution
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Ancient DNA Study Shows How Early Europeans Adapted Over 7,000 Years
A study using ancient DNA has revealed how early Europeans adapted to their environments over 7,000 years. By examining genetic samples from archaeological remains, researchers found evidence of natural selection in traits like vitamin D production and lactose tolerance. Immune gene adaptations were also linked to agricultural shifts and disease ex...
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Scientists Unravel Rose Genetics: How Eastern and Western Species Created Modern Varieties
A recent study uncovers the genetic origins of modern roses, showing how Eastern and Western species combined to create the roses we know today. Led by Professor Zhangjun Fei at the Boyce Thompson Institute, researchers mapped the genome of the modern rose variety ‘Samantha®’ and sequenced 233 other rose varieties. The study sheds light on bre...
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How Rainwater Helped Stabilise Early Cells, Enabling Life's Complexity on Earth
Recent research led by Aman Agrawal, in collaboration with experts from the University of Chicago and University of Houston, uncovers the potential role rainwater played in stabilising protocells on early Earth. Their findings show how this helped prevent RNA leakage and uncontrolled mixing, allowing the formation of stable genetic material. This n...
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Last Woolly Mammoths Extinction Mystery: New Genetic Insights Revealed
Four thousand years ago, the last woolly mammoths lived on Wrangel Island, situated off the coast of present-day Siberia. Traditionally, it was believed that their remote location led to inbreeding, which was thought to be the primary cause of their extinction. However, recent research challenges this notion. A study reveals new insights into the m...
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Discover LUCA: The 4.2 Billion-Year-Old Ancestor of All Life on Earth
Recent research has revealed that LUCA, the last universal common ancestor of all life, lived around 4.2 billion years ago. This new estimate pushes back the timeline for the origin of life by 300 million years. The study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, involved analysis of genes from 700 species of bacteria and archaea, as well as ancien...
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Will Men Be Wiped Out By A Fading Y Chromosome? What Current Science Reveals
Y chromosome has significantly reduced in size over millions of years, raising the possibility of evolving new sex-determination systems and the emergence of different human species in the distant future.
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All Life On Earth Originates From One Ancestor, Older Than Previously Believed
A new study estimates that LUCA, the Last Universal Common Ancestor of all life on Earth, existed around 4.2 billion years ago, challenging previous timelines for the origin of life.
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Ancient DNA Reveals Hidden Human Past: Study
The study analysed genetic data from more than a thousand people over the past 45,000 years.
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Evolution Might be Happening 4 Times Faster Than What Charles Darwin Had Predicted: Study
A new research suggests that the Darwinian evolution could be happening up to four times faster than previously thought. Based on an analysis of genetic variation, the researchers state evolution can happen faster if there are more genetic differences in a species. This is because certain traits die off and stronger ones get established. The study ...
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When DNA Speaks of Nature — the Use of Genetic Data in Biodiversity Research
Understand the record of history stored in DNA is an essential part of a biologist's toolkit, and allows us to understand the tree of life — the origin of species, and the way it all works together. How have scientists come to understand this subject? We take a deeper dive.
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Breathe Easy: Nose Shape Was Influenced By Local Climate
The human nose, in all its glorious forms, is one of our most distinctive characteristics, whether big, little, broad, narrow or somewhere in between. Scientists are now sniffing out some of the factors that drove the evolution of the human proboscis.
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What Makes People Become Nice Or Nasty?
Some individuals appear to be genetically programmed to help others whilst living side-by-side with others who tend to exploit their generosity, say researchers who produced an innovative model of social evolution to understand the concept of genetic polymorphism.
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600 Million Years Ago, A Single Biological Mistake Changed Everything.
If life is effectively an endless series of photocopies, as DNA is transcribed and passed on from one being to the next, then evolution is the high-stakes game of waiting for the copier to get it wrong.
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Ancient DNA Study Shows How Early Europeans Adapted Over 7,000 Years
A study using ancient DNA has revealed how early Europeans adapted to their environments over 7,000 years. By examining genetic samples from archaeological remains, researchers found evidence of natural selection in traits like vitamin D production and lactose tolerance. Immune gene adaptations were also linked to agricultural shifts and disease ex...
-
Scientists Unravel Rose Genetics: How Eastern and Western Species Created Modern Varieties
A recent study uncovers the genetic origins of modern roses, showing how Eastern and Western species combined to create the roses we know today. Led by Professor Zhangjun Fei at the Boyce Thompson Institute, researchers mapped the genome of the modern rose variety ‘Samantha®’ and sequenced 233 other rose varieties. The study sheds light on bre...
-
How Rainwater Helped Stabilise Early Cells, Enabling Life's Complexity on Earth
Recent research led by Aman Agrawal, in collaboration with experts from the University of Chicago and University of Houston, uncovers the potential role rainwater played in stabilising protocells on early Earth. Their findings show how this helped prevent RNA leakage and uncontrolled mixing, allowing the formation of stable genetic material. This n...
-
Last Woolly Mammoths Extinction Mystery: New Genetic Insights Revealed
Four thousand years ago, the last woolly mammoths lived on Wrangel Island, situated off the coast of present-day Siberia. Traditionally, it was believed that their remote location led to inbreeding, which was thought to be the primary cause of their extinction. However, recent research challenges this notion. A study reveals new insights into the m...
-
Discover LUCA: The 4.2 Billion-Year-Old Ancestor of All Life on Earth
Recent research has revealed that LUCA, the last universal common ancestor of all life, lived around 4.2 billion years ago. This new estimate pushes back the timeline for the origin of life by 300 million years. The study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, involved analysis of genes from 700 species of bacteria and archaea, as well as ancien...
-
Will Men Be Wiped Out By A Fading Y Chromosome? What Current Science Reveals
Y chromosome has significantly reduced in size over millions of years, raising the possibility of evolving new sex-determination systems and the emergence of different human species in the distant future.
-
All Life On Earth Originates From One Ancestor, Older Than Previously Believed
A new study estimates that LUCA, the Last Universal Common Ancestor of all life on Earth, existed around 4.2 billion years ago, challenging previous timelines for the origin of life.
-
Ancient DNA Reveals Hidden Human Past: Study
The study analysed genetic data from more than a thousand people over the past 45,000 years.
-
Evolution Might be Happening 4 Times Faster Than What Charles Darwin Had Predicted: Study
A new research suggests that the Darwinian evolution could be happening up to four times faster than previously thought. Based on an analysis of genetic variation, the researchers state evolution can happen faster if there are more genetic differences in a species. This is because certain traits die off and stronger ones get established. The study ...
-
When DNA Speaks of Nature — the Use of Genetic Data in Biodiversity Research
Understand the record of history stored in DNA is an essential part of a biologist's toolkit, and allows us to understand the tree of life — the origin of species, and the way it all works together. How have scientists come to understand this subject? We take a deeper dive.
-
Breathe Easy: Nose Shape Was Influenced By Local Climate
The human nose, in all its glorious forms, is one of our most distinctive characteristics, whether big, little, broad, narrow or somewhere in between. Scientists are now sniffing out some of the factors that drove the evolution of the human proboscis.
-
What Makes People Become Nice Or Nasty?
Some individuals appear to be genetically programmed to help others whilst living side-by-side with others who tend to exploit their generosity, say researchers who produced an innovative model of social evolution to understand the concept of genetic polymorphism.
-
600 Million Years Ago, A Single Biological Mistake Changed Everything.
If life is effectively an endless series of photocopies, as DNA is transcribed and passed on from one being to the next, then evolution is the high-stakes game of waiting for the copier to get it wrong.
