Latest Articles
Evolution Runs Faster on Short Timescales
Examine evolution over the course of years or centuries, and you’ll find that it progresses much more quickly than it does over geologic time.
Genetic Architects Untwist DNA’s Turns
Researchers have used the gene-editing tool CRISPR to manipulate the way that DNA coils up inside the cell — another step in the quest to understand how the genome’s 3-D structure impacts its function.
The Mutant Genes Behind the Black Death
Only a few genetic changes were enough to change an ordinary stomach bug into the bacteria responsible for the plague.
How Mutant Viral Swarms Spread Disease
A new understanding of viral swarms is helping researchers predict how viruses will evolve and where disease is likely to spread.
Hints of Life’s Start Found in a Giant Virus
Newly discovered specimens support a more ancient origin for viruses, perhaps all the way back to the origins of life.
Evolving With a Little Help From Our Friends
A new theory suggests that cooperation between a host and its microbes may be a significant evolutionary force.