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Really, one of the key issues with sushi is that it doesn't glow under black light. To solve that problem, the Center for Genomic Gastronomy is using genetically modified fishies from the pet store to create tasty treats that will be perfect for your next rave. More »
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Bacillus anthraces — more commonly known as anthrax — is not to be trifled with. Once the bacterium enters the blood stream, it releases a lethal cocktail of toxins that spreads rapidly throughout the body, leading to severe tissue damage, bleeding, and respiratory collapse. The fact that anthrax spores can infect a host via inhalation have made it a popular biological weapon in recent years. More »
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The human genome carries an average of 1% to 4% Neanderthal DNA, which means our ancient human ancestors must have interbred with our extinct evolutionary cousins. That raises an obvious next question: why did humans have sex with Neanderthals? More »
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Seriously. This map suggests that unless you live in California, a smattering of states out East, or a small handfull of other states sprinkled across the country, you're looking at a very grave problem when it comes to scientific illiteracy in your community's youth (and, presumably, its population in general). Come to think of it, this map should really concern you, no matter where you live. More »
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It's a central tenet of evolution: Life must adapt to its surroundings or die. And the genome knows it. A new study published in the journal Nature shows that in more stressful surroundings, a yeast cell's genome actually gains or loses chromosomes, improving the cell's ability to mutate - and thus its adaptability. This mechanism could explain how some cancerous cells manage to survive the poisonous onslaught of chemotherapy. More »
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Japan is still struggling to recover from the devastation caused by the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that hit the country last March. One of the long-term problems is reclaiming farmland ravaged by the tsunami. And mutant rice might be the solution. More »
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This month marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the discovery of Mitochondrial Eve, the common ancestor of every human alive today. Here's everything you need to know about why the mother of humanity is so important. More »
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The United States has long been recognized as one of the most scientifically productive countries on Earth. But when you're discussing progress, where you've been is not nearly as important as More »
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Are you big on science and science communication? If you are, do yourself favor and check out ScienceOnline2012 (or scio12 to those in the know), the sixth annual international meeting on science and the internet. More »
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For years, the energy industry has been looking to seaweed to become the next big source of biofuel. But the algae plant has its drawbacks. Much of its energy is stored in a form of sugar that is difficult to tap into; this snag drives the cost of biofuel produced from seaweed up, and its viability as an alternative to petroleum-based fuels down. More »
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Is intelligence related to an increased likelihood of recreational drug use? It's an interesting hypothesis, and one that's been gaining momentum in recent years. More »
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All living organisms use DNA as the carrier of genetic material and RNA as the messenger molecule directing the expression of genes and creation of proteins. This arrangement has lasted 3.5 billion years. But what came before these life-giving molecules? More »
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Any boardwalk palm reader will try and convince you that there's a lifeline on your hand, a marking that can show just how long you're destined to remain on this world. While your palm creases may not actually hold that information, it appears that it may be hiding in your telomeres — the protective DNA caps on the end of chromosomes. More »
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When Charles Darwin visited the remote Galápagos archipelago in 1835, the observations he made of the islands' various species of long-lived tortoises would play a pivotal role in helping inform his theory of evolution. More »
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We all know octopuses are clever, but a recent study reveals that the brainy beasts are crafty even at the molecular level. In a study published in the latest issue of Science, researchers reveal that octopuses living in the hypothermic climes of Antarctica rely not on their DNA, but the revision of their RNA, to withstand the cold. More »
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Ashley Michelle Williams has a fascinating article over at theGrio about a recent study that offers evidence that the harsh conditions of slavery subjected the African American population to strong evolutionary pressures. This could help explain what appear to be recent mutations in the genomes of African Americans. Williams writes: More »
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For the first time ever, scientists have discovered a species of hybrid shark (a cross between two different species of the cartilaginous fishes) off the coast of Australia. More »
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One of the big advantages of genetically modified corn was its built-in pesticides, as it produces a toxin that kills destructive bugs. Now its resistance to pests is wearing off. Just as Jurassic Park taught us, life found a way. More »
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In 1974, Lap Kadoma — the wife of a Nepalese sherpa — had a close encounter with a Yeti. The legendary cryptid, Kadoma would later recount, had managed to sneak up on her from behind, before heaving her into a river. When Kadoma regained consciousness, she found the bodies of several dead yaks strewn nearby. More »
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From law-violating subatomic particles to entirely new, earth-like worlds, 2011 was an incredible year for scientific discovery. In the past 12 months, scientific breakthroughs in fields ranging from archaeology to structural biochemistry have allowed humanity to rewrite history, and enabled us to open to brand new chapters in our development as a species. More »
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Artist Andy Gracie is attempting to breed a strain of fruit fly that could survive on Titan, Saturn's largest moon. The first stage of his work, The Quest for Drosophila Titanus, is part of an exhibition currently touring the UK. More »
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Genome analysts at 23andMe have devised a new way to reveal the secrets inside your DNA. Their latest test will reveal how many of your genes come from Neanderthals. Be warned: some people have a lot of Neanderthal in them. More »
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The naked mole rat is quickly becoming one of my favorite mammals ever. The glabrous little buggers live decades longer than most other rodents, never develop cancer, and have mastered the enviable skill of being able to run backwards as quickly as they do forwards. More »
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If you were to suggest that members of Elasmobranchii — the subclass of cartilaginous fishes that includes sharks, rays, and skates — look incredibly different from us humans, I doubt that many people would argue the point. In fact, one look at the alien-like skeleton of Leucoraja erinacea, the species of skate pictured up top, would drive your assertion home rather nicely, wouldn't you say? More »
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Science fiction is often used to show us the world through impossibly alien eyes. But there are fully human people who see the world in an alien way (to the rest of us) via current biological means. One of the most everyday versions of this is basic colorblindness. But what do people really see, when they see the world differently? More »
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We all know that DNA evidence can make or break a forensic investigation, but it's not uncommon for police to encounter DNA at a crime scene that doesn't match with entries in any DNA databases. But what if police didn't need any databases to track down a suspect? More »
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Crack open the cranium of a cab driver and you're liable to find that they're packing extra grey matter in regions of the brain responsible for spatial navigation. But this observation poses a compelling question: are the street's most brilliant cabbies made, or are they born? More »
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The levels of support received by any government-funded program are expected to fluctuate in kind with a country's budgetary fortunes, but the history of federally funded science in the United States has been especially strained by the ongoing transformation of the nation's budget. More »
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For hundreds of years, immunization has been one of society's most elegant and dependable methods of disease prevention. Vaccines have been developed for infections ranging from measles to HPV. Many of us get vaccinated to protect ourselves against seasonal illness, or before traveling internationally. Vaccination is safe. It is dependable. It works. More »
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Inbreeding is where cousins and other close relatives have children together. Most cultures have strong taboos against it, primarily because of the increased risk of birth defects. Here's why that risk isn't all it's cracked up to be. More »
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This is excellent. Back in 2010, an out-of-character Stephen Colbert sat down with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson at Montclair Kimberly Academy to talk for 90 minutes about science, society and the universe. Yesterday, the Hayden Planetarium posted the interview on its website for all to watch. More »
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If man evolved in Africa, where did man's best friend come from? Scientists thought the first dogs came from the Middle East, but a new study of dog genetics suggests they actually come from one small region of modern China. More »
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The congressional supercommittee responsible for trimming 1.5 trillion dollars from the US federal budget has failed to deliver, triggering a decade-long, 1.2-trillion-dollar budget-slash set to begin in 2013. More »
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Researchers have identified a gene associated with empathy and sociability, and you can tell if someone has it just by watching their body language. More »
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Congress is expected to approve three spending bills by week's end that would grant the National Science Foundation a 2.5% bump in it's 2012 budget. More »
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The battle over the future of chimpanzees in research has reached a critical point. Chimps are humans' closest extant relatives — and as such, they are arguably one of the best animal models available for biomedical investigations that have the potential to save countless human lives. More »
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Imagine going to sleep for months at a time and then waking up just in time to land on Mars. Hibernation is second nature to bears and other mammals...but there's no reason humans can't do it too. More »
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae may be the go-to microorganism for bakers and brewers of alcoholic beverages, but the yeast species also has a long and storied history in the world of scientific experimentation. More »
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What will happen when we colonize a new planet? Will the first settlers become the planet's ruling class, or spread their bloodline across the entire planet's surface? Quite possibly. A new study indicates that you might want to be one of the first to land on a new world. More »
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Recently a rare white kiwi made it through a surgery. The doctors and scientists who treated it were quick to point out, it was not an albino kiwi. Instead it was a color morph, specifically one with leucism. Find out how things besides albinism can make you white, and why things don't have to be white to be albino. More »
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