Genetics

Common fruit flies are ideal for complex genetic screens because of their short lifespan, relatively small genome and low cost.

Meet Nemuri, the Gene That Puts Flies to Sleep and Helps Them Fight Infection

A team of researchers looked at 8,015 genes and found one that made the insects super-sleepers

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Dr. Jean Bennett & Dr. Katherine High Win $1 Million Sanford Lorraine Cross Award

A rare, blue-eyed coyote

Rare Blue-Eyed Coyotes Spotted in California

Coyotes’ eyes are consistently golden-brown, so researchers have been surprised to learn of five California coyotes with piercing baby blues

Chickens Might Lay Your Future Prescriptions

Tests show cancer-fighting and immune-boosting proteins can be produced in the egg whites of genetically-modified cluckers

The axolotl genome is the largest set of genetic instructions that has ever been fully sequenced, more than ten times larger than a human genome.

Complete Axolotl Genome Could Reveal the Secret of Regenerating Tissues

The aquatic salamander's genome is one of the most complex sets of genetic instructions in the world

Nazi official Rudolf Hess delivering a public address in 1937.

DNA Analysis Debunks the Rumor That Rudolf Hess Was Replaced by a Doppelgänger

For decades, rumors have swirled that the Nazi official imprisoned by the British was actually an imposter

Mothers and babies gather for a "Better Baby Contest" in Minnesota in 1920.

'Better Babies' Contests Pushed for Much-Needed Infant Health but Also Played Into the Eugenics Movement

Contests around the country judged infants like they would livestock as a motivator for parents to take better care of their children

Fatu, born in 2000, is one of the world’s last two surviving northern white rhinos. In this 2013 photograph, she’s hanging out with southern white rhinos at Kenya’s Pejeta Nature Conservancy.

San Diego’s Frozen Zoo Offers Hope for Endangered Species Around the World

The largest animal cryobank in the world is a rich source of genetic knowledge that may one day be used to bring endangered species back from the brink

Why Scientists Want to Engineer Spicy Tomatoes

With genetic tinkering, the fruits may offer an easy source of capsaicin, the beneficial compound that gives peppers their heat

The poison mimic frog, or Ranitomeya imitator, is one of the world's only known genetically monogamous frogs.

Scientists Identify Gene Pattern That Makes Some Animals Monogamous

A new study has found that 24 genes show similar activity in the brain tissue of five species that stick with one mate at a time

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How Jean Bennett Found a Way to Treat Hereditary Blindness in Children

In conversation with chef Spike Gjerde, the molecular geneticist explains how she is paving the way for the future of gene therapy

(Mårten Teigen, Museum of Cultural History; Associated Press; Stocktrek Images, Inc. / Alamy; CDC / James Gathany; Philippe Charlier; Brian Palmer; David Iliff via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 3.0; Alamy; Pasini et al. / World Neurosurgery / Elsevier; Donovan Wiley; Library of Congress)

Our Top 11 Stories of 2018

From a 50-year-old political scandal to swarms of genetically engineered mosquitos, here are Smithsonian.com's most-read stories

Prior to the new study, only one ancient individual's DNA had been retrieved: a person of aboriginal descent from the Willandra Lakes region seen here.

DNA Can Help Repatriate the Remains of Aboriginal Australians

A new study was able to match genetic material of ancient remains to the DNA of living Aboriginal communities

Cardinals in Different Regions Could Actually Be Distinct Species, Their Songs Suggest

Populations of the ubiquitous red bird have different calls and genetics in the American southwest

Varieties of maize found near Cuscu and Machu Pichu at Salineras de Maras on the Inca Sacred Valley in Peru, June 2007.

Rethinking the Corny History of Maize

A new genetic study traces the movement of one of the world's most vital crops from Mexico to South America

Fruit Flies First Began Feeding on Our Fresh Produce About 10,000 Years Ago

It turns out the insects love marula fruit found in south-central Africa, which attracted them to human caves

At the time of the study's writing, the then seven-month-old baby girl was developing normally and appeared to be the picture of health

Woman With Womb Transplanted From Deceased Donor Successfully Gives Birth

Recipient was born without a womb, but thanks to uterine transplant, she was able to deliver a healthy baby girl in December 2017

The Ten Best Science Books of 2018

These titles explore the wide-ranging implications of new discoveries and experiments, while grounding them in historical context

Lonesome George

Lonesome George the Giant Tortoise's DNA Reveals Cancer-Fighting and Longevity Genes

The iconic reptile and last Pinta Island tortoise passed in 2012, but a new look at his DNA is helping researchers understand genetics

Evidence Suggests Humans Reached "Roof of the World" 40,000 Years Ago

Over 3,000 stone tools show human presence in Tibetan plateau 20,000 years before previously thought

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