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genetics
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Killer Virus Is Invading Koala DNA
An infection sweeping through Australia’s struggling koala population provides an unprecedented opportunity to explore how retroviruses insert themselves into the genome.
Genetic Geometry Takes Shape
Inside the cell’s nucleus, the double helix folds up in myriad loops and twists. The quest to unravel this structure is revealing the subtle genetic orchestration of all life on Earth.
Breakthrough DNA Editor Born of Bacteria
Interest in a powerful DNA editing tool called CRISPR has revealed that bacteria are far more sophisticated than anyone imagined.
Machine Intelligence Cracks Genetic Controls
Scientists have begun to decipher the most difficult-to-read parts of the genome — the parts that don’t code for proteins. The new work reveals how errors in these genetic instructions can lead to disease.
Evolution’s Random Paths Lead to One Place
A massive statistical study suggests that even though genetic changes happen at random, the final evolutionary outcome — fitness — is predictable.
I Contain Multitudes
Our bodies are a genetic patchwork, possessing variation from cell to cell. Is that a good thing?
As Animals Mingle, a Baffling Genetic Barrier
Despite swapping DNA through interbreeding, butterflies and other animals can maintain distinct species.
The Game Theory of Life
An insight borrowed from computer science suggests that evolution values both fitness and diversity.
In Bees, a Hunt for Roots of Social Behavior
By comparing the genomes of social and solitary bees, scientists hope to uncover the basis for communal behavior.