Viking DNA and the pitfalls of genetic ancestry tests

Genetic ancestry tests may sound like a bit of fun, but in an era marked by increasing xenophobia, it's important to be aware of the interplay between genetics and ideas of race.

Daniel Strand, Ph.D. in History of Ideas at Centre for Multidisciplinary Studies on Racism, Uppsala University • conversation
April 9, 2021 ~6 min

What is mRNA? The messenger molecule that's been in every living cell for billions of years is the key ingredient in some COVID-19 vaccines

Recently in the spotlight for its role in the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, mRNA is not a new invention. It's a crucial messenger molecule at work every day in every cell in your body.

Penny Riggs, Associate Professor of Functional Genomics and Associate Vice President for Research, Texas A&M University • conversation
April 9, 2021 ~7 min


Are we more closely related to starfish or insects? Our study questions 100 years of consensus

Scientists used to believe that a group containing starfish and sea urchin were the closest relatives of vertebrates like humans. But new research challenges this idea.

Paschalia Kapli, Research Fellow in Genetics, Evolution & Environment, UCL • conversation
March 31, 2021 ~8 min

Sperm from older rats passes on fewer active genes to offspring because of epigenetic changes

Male rats transfer different hereditary information to their offspring depending on their age.

Alexander Suvorov, Assistant Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst • conversation
March 16, 2021 ~5 min

How do mRNA vaccines work – and why do you need a second dose? 5 essential reads

So far, most vaccines in the US are mRNA vaccines. These represent a new technology and are likely to take over the vaccine world. But how do they work? What are their weaknesses? Five experts explain.

Daniel Merino, Assistant Editor: Science, Health, Environment; Co-Host: The Conversation Weekly Podcast • conversation
March 16, 2021 ~6 min

3 medical innovations fueled by COVID-19 that will outlast the pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has driven a lot of scientific progress in the past year. But just as some of the social changes are likely here to stay, so are some medical innovations.

Nevan Krogan, Professor and Director of Quantitative Biosciences Institute & Senior Investigator at the Gladstone Institutes, University of California, San Francisco • conversation
March 9, 2021 ~12 min

Evolution: lab-grown 'mini brains' suggest one mutation might have rewired the human mind

Neanderthal-human hybrid brains grown in the lab give fascinating insights into evolution.

Per Brattås, Postgraduate Researcher in Clinical Genomics, Lund University • conversation
Feb. 26, 2021 ~8 min

6 important truths about COVID-19 vaccines

With the vaccines now being administered at sites around the US, it is important to address misinformation surrounding the effort.

Kanneboyina Nagaraju, Professor of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, State University of New York • conversation
Feb. 18, 2021 ~10 min


Male butterflies mark their mates with a stench to 'turn off' rival suitors

The stench was once thought to originate from plants, but scientists have now pin-pointed its true origin.

Kathleen Darragh, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of California, Davis • conversation
Jan. 28, 2021 ~5 min

Nobel Prize for CRISPR honors two great scientists – and leaves out many others

Most scientific discoveries these days aren't easily ascribed to a single researcher. CRISPR is no different – and ongoing patent fights underscore how messy research can be.

Marc Zimmer, Professor of Chemistry, Connecticut College • conversation
Oct. 7, 2020 ~9 min

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