I’ve been immersed in genetic genealogy, following up on a recent contact from a relative I didn’t know existed. While trying to…
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post A Common Ancestry Metric Is Based On a Century-Old Discovery by a 19-Year-Old: CentiMorgans ExplainedRead more
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post The Coffee-Genes Story Brews Discontent on ThanksgivingRead more
A few weeks ago a report claiming a love for coffee is “in the genes” fleetingly flashed across screens. I thought I’d…
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post If A Genetics Textbook Author Was Treated Like a Political Insta-AuthorRead more
Every week, it seems, yet another politician, or someone in a politician’s orbit, releases a book and lights up the media. Against…
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post The Genomic Scars of Anti-SemitismRead more
Tomorrow is the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, “The Night of Broken Glass.” On November 9 and 10, 1938, Storm Troopers, Hitler Youth…
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post Celebrating National Sea Slug DayRead more
I’ve just discovered that my birthday, October 29, is also National Sea Slug Day, so I thought I’d look into these creatures…
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post Why I Didn’t Write About Elizabeth Warren’s DNARead more
When Elizabeth Warren released her DNA results last week, indicating a Native American ancestor a few generations back, my response was, and…
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post How the Giraffe Got Its Spots: A Genetic Just-So StoryRead more
Spots are common in the animal kingdom. Birds, insects, reptiles, fishes, and of course mammals sport spots. In Darwinian terms, a trait…
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post Drug Duo Treats ALS – On A ChipRead more
When a disease is as relentless as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; aka Lou Gehrig’s disease; aka motor neuron disease), any promising research…
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post October Isn’t Just for Breast Cancer AwarenessRead more
Many posts at DNA Science have been about families navigating life with a rare disease. I especially think of them during October…
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post Men Behaving Badly: A Lesson from Duck Sex?Read more
I hate the phrase “humans and animals” or derisively calling someone an animal. We’re not plants, fungi, bacteria, or protozoa, nor are…
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post A Natural History Study Isn’t Necessarily About DinosaursRead more
Many scientists trace their childhood inspiration to the towering skeletons of dinosaurs that still reign over the regal lobbies of the American…
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post Y Chromosomes in the News and #MeTooRead more
The firing of CBS CEO Leslie Moonves for his alleged history of revolting attacks on women and the upcoming one-year anniversary of Ronan…