DNA

According to the New York Times, synthetic biology is creating DNA out of thin air. A recent article about synthetic biology and consumer goods describes DNA synthesis as a process where “DNA is created on computers and inserted into organisms.” Computers are pretty cool and really useful in synthetic biology labs, but it takes a [...]

Despite myriad problems in many countries, pockets of excellence thrive in Chile, Colombia, Brazil and Argentina

Receding glaciers at the end of the last ice age led to the flightless birds' move to the Crozet Islands

The publication of the draft genetic sequence of a comb jelly reveals a nervous system like no other

The Lepidopteran is the first one found to have sex determined by RNA rather than by a protein

An engineered bacterium is able to copy DNA that contains unnatural genetic code

One of the greatest breakthroughs in twentieth century biology was the finding that RNA can serve as a catalyst and drive some of life’s essential chemical reactions.

Mounting evidence from dinosaur bones shows that, contrary to common belief, organic materials can sometimes survive in fossils for millions of years

The long-term consequences of such epigenetic effects in children remain unknown, but the goal is to define the optimal diet for mothers-to-be

Elderly men who have lost the Y in blood cells have their lives cut short, compared with men who still have the little chromosome

This weeks post is a guest post from the wonderful E.E. Giorgi of Chimera blog I AM MY MOTHER'S CHIMERA. CHANCES ARE, SO ARE YOU For years now the concept of a "genetic chimera" has sparked the imagination of writers: the idea that an individual could harbor his/her own twin is creepy and intriguing at the [...]

A new gene-editing technique could lead to more useful animal models of disease, and perhaps one day more effective gene therapy for humans