Advances in technology have enabled researchers to sequence the large regions of repetitive DNA that eluded the Human Genome Project.
After a nose swab tests positive for a virus or bacteria, scientists can use the sample’s genetic sequence to figure out where and when the pathogen emerged and how fast it’s changing.
SARS-Cov-2 has experienced roughly the same amount of evolutionary change during the pandemic as humans have since Homo habilis first walked the Earth about 2.5m years ago.
Technology that can identify stray bits of genetic material in the environment can help scientists monitor human and animal health.
The smallpox virus appears to have been with humanity for millennia before a global vaccination drive wiped it out. Current genome research suggests how smallpox spread and where it came from.
Scientists hope to learn what makes certain red squirrels able to survive squirrelpox.
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