The Latest Breaking News from Genome

Monitoring the health of lakes through the microbes that live in them

A lake is much more than a body of water where we bask on sunny summer days. It’s also more than just a source of fresh water surrounded with nature and tranquility.

The Conversation · Sep 15, 2024

50,000 'knots' scattered throughout our DNA control gene activity

The mapping of 50,000 mysterious "knots" in the human genome may someday lead to the development of new cancer drugs, researchers say.

LiveScience · Sep 3, 2024

6 extinct species that scientists could bring back to life — and 1 they have already resurrected

De-extinction, the science of resurrecting extinct species, is progressing in leaps and bounds. Here are six creatures that researchers could bring back to life — and one they've already revived.

LiveScience · Aug 30, 2024

Largest animal genome sequenced — and just 1 chromosome is the size of the entire human genome

Scientists sequenced the largest known animal genome in a species of lungfish — ancient fish that breathe air.

LiveScience · Aug 16, 2024

Banana apocalypse, part 2 – a genomicist explains the tricky genetics of the fungus devastating bananas worldwide

Did you know that the bananas you eat today are not the same type as the ones people were eating a few generations ago? The banana you might have had with your breakfast today is a variety called the Cavendish banana, while the one that was in grocery stores up…

The Conversation · Aug 16, 2024

Editing fetal genomes is on the horizon − a medical anthropologist explains why ethical discussions with the target communities should happen sooner rather than later

With their primary goal to advance scientific knowledge, most scientists are not trained or incentivized to think through the societal implications of the technologies they are developing. Even in genomic medicine, which is geared toward benefiting future patients, time and funding pressures make real-time ethics oversight difficult.

The Conversation · Aug 16, 2024

Startling genome discovery in butterfly project reveals impact of climate change in Europe

Project to study all 11,000 species of butterflies and moths finds ‘two species in the act of being created from one’

The Guardian - UK · Aug 11, 2024

Perfectly preserved woolly mammoth DNA uncovered in Siberia could help resurrect species, scientists say

Discovery offers unprecedented insight into the genetic makeup of animal that went extinct 4,000 years ago

The Independent UK · Aug 6, 2024

If we want to settle on other planets, we’ll have to use genome editing to alter human DNA

It sounds like science fiction, but many scientists believe editing the human genome is key to our advancement across the solar system.

Space · Aug 1, 2024

If we want to settle on other planets, we’ll have to use genome editing to alter human DNA

When considering human settlements on the Moon, Mars and further afield, much attention is given to the travel times, food and radiation risk. We’ll undoubtedly face a harsh environment in deep space and some thinkers have been pointing to genome editing as a way to ensure that humans can tolerate…

The Conversation · Jul 23, 2024