Scientists have recovered ancient DNA from a 5,500-year-old skeleton in Colombia, revealing the oldest known genetic evidence of a syphilis-related bacterium and offering new insight into how these diseases evolved. Syphilis has troubled human...

Scientific Reports, the study identified an elevated frequency of clustered de novo mutations (cDNMs)—tight groups of fresh DNA changes that appear together in a child’s genome. These clusters differ from a simple transmission of damaged DNA,...

Ancient DNA from Shimao shows its late‑Neolithic residents mainly descended from local northern Shaanxi groups, yet also linked to far‑away populations. In the highlands of northern Shaanxi, the Neolithic settlement known as Shimao thrived roughly...

Genomic Analysis To determine the age of the bones, the scientists first applied radiocarbon dating. They then isolated DNA from the bones and associated tissue, comparing the sequences against a vast catalog of ancient and contemporary human genomes....

In a medical first, researchers have used CRISPR prime editing to directly rewrite DNA inside a human patient, offering new hope for treating Wilson disease. A new chapter in genetic medicine has officially begun, as the first patient has been dosed in...

Scientists have found a giant bacterium visible to the naked eye that stores DNA in tiny compartments, redefining how simple life is organized. For centuries, biology textbooks have taught that bacteria are microscopic, simple, and structureless. Yet,...

A massive global study of over one million people has identified 1,000 genetic variants linked to personality, proving DNA isn’t our only life architect. The age-old debate regarding the origins of human individuality has long centered on the interplay...

sparked immediate excitement: it represented a complete skull from a lineage previously known almost exclusively from DNA fragments and a handful of bone pieces. A Long‑Lost Cranium Resurfaces After Eight Decades Paleoanthropologist Qiang Ji of Hebei...

traces and fragments of bone, may finally have a recognizable face. Scientists have successfully extracted mitochondrial DNA from mineralized dental plaque found on the molar of the Harbin skull—a massive, remarkably well-preserved fossil discovered in...

highlights a paradoxical role for cGAS. While the protein is known to trigger immune responses when it identifies stray DNA, it also serves a critical, previously unappreciated function in maintaining genomic stability. When researchers removed cGAS...

DNA from 10 bodies reveals a previously unknown ancient population in Ladakh’s Old Lady Spider Cave, dating back 1,500 years at 4,000 m altitude. New genetic data from a sparsely studied part of the Himalayas shed light on how ancient peoples moved...

analysis has now confirmed that the body is indeed Peglar, making him the only member of the Terror crew identified through DNA to date. “It was interesting to conclusively identify this sailor because the body was found with almost the only written...

most primates, these chromosomes have been difficult to study because the Y chromosome contains large clusters of repeated DNA that break traditional sequencing methods. Earlier genome drafts left enormous gaps, which limited the clarity of evolutionary...

believed to be the youngest mammoths ever found shocked scientists with their age, until advanced chemical tests and ancient DNA revealed a startling truth hidden in plain sight. What if woolly mammoths did not disappear when we thought they did? For...

lived right at the brink. The wolf pup’s stomach changed that. Extracting a Genome From an Unlikely Source Recovering ancient DNA is notoriously difficult, especially from samples that are degraded or contaminated. The tissue inside the wolf’s stomach...

Scientists sequence the complete chloroplast DNA of a rare limestone-dwelling shrub, clarifying its evolutionary branch within the plant kingdom. A rare flowering shrub native exclusively to the limestone forest slopes of Korea has finally had its...

a giant deep‑sea anemone whose tentacles can exceed two metres in length. Whole‑genome sequencing, rather than standard DNA barcoding, finally matched the specimen to a reference mitochondrial genome for the species, a result now available as a bioRxiv...

DNA from a Paris‑area prehistoric tomb reveals a stark split between two Stone Age groups, suggesting a major upheaval during Europe’s megalith era. Analysis of DNA from individuals interred in a 5,000‑year‑old megalithic tomb near Paris has uncovered...

DNA reveals the secret genetic twist that let five founding cattle create a 2,000‑strong herd and survive 140 years on an isolated island. In 1871, five cattle were shipped to the isolated Amsterdam Island, setting the stage for a feral population that...

Ancient DNA extracted from medieval manuscripts reveals the long-term evolution of sheep pox, linking historical livestock disease to modern outbreaks. Genetic analysis of ancient parchment and archaeological remains has revealed that the sheep pox...