The Great DNA DepressionThe Great Depression Changed People’s DNA, Study Finds Children born during this time of recession showed genetic markers of accelerated aging. By Rohitha Naraharisetty
Don't Take This LightlyThe Human Genome Contains ‘Dark Matter.’ What Is Its Purpose? The mysterious component of our genome could be a potential site for treating diseases like cancer. By Rohitha Naraharisetty
Problem In The GenesScience Shows Miscarriages Don’t Happen Because of Anything Women Do. So Why Does Society Continue to Blame Them? While the science shows that most miscarriages are due to genetic errors, society continues to blame them on women for everything from working, exercising, or having sex. By Rohitha Naraharisetty
Cure In The HorizonHow Gene‑Editing Technology Can Offer a Potential HIV Cure "This capability to turn genes on and off in cells isolated directly from human blood is a game changer.” By Rohitha Naraharisetty
Easing the PainScientists Identify Gene Associated With Late‑Stage Endometriosis Endometriosis is common and incurable, and gene-based research can shape better treatment options. By Rohitha Naraharisetty
Mystery of MelaninAll You Need to Know About Albinism Albinism keeps the body from making enough of a chemical called melanin, which gives eyes, skin, and hair their color. By Saumya Kalia
ACHOO SyndromeWhy Bright Light Makes Some People Sneeze Uncontrollably As many as 1 in 3 people may experience a photic sneeze reflex, which tends to be a genetic trait. By Devrupa Rakshit
Sleep Is On The AgendaNapping Isn’t Lazy; It’s Genetic, Researchers Find A new large-scale study of napping habits and genomes suggests "daytime napping is biologically driven and not just an environmental or behavioral choice." By Devrupa Rakshit
Clues to Lower The CurvePeople With Down Syndrome May Be Genetically More Susceptible to Covid19: Study The finding suggests the need to expand the groups dubbed vulnerable populations amid the pandemic. By Devrupa Rakshit
Talking DNAIn India, People Who Speak the Same Language Have Similar DNA: Study A new study of India's genetic diversity flies in the face of previous, Euro-centric research that held the closer people live to each other, the more similar their genomes. By Devrupa Rakshit
Not TwinningIdentical Twins Are More Genetically Different Than We Thought: Study The new research has important implications for how scientists study the influence of nature versus nurture on disease. By Rajvi Desai
BrrrrrrrrrrrrrrWhy Do Some People Feel Hotter or Colder Than Others? The way we perceive temperature is complicated, influenced by circulation, metabolism, body size, sex, and mental health. By Devrupa Rakshit
Lasting ImpressionsDNA From 6,000‑Year‑Old Chewing Gum Used to Build Portrait of a Neolithic Girl It's the first time scientists have been able to map a human genome from anything other than human bones. By Rajvi Desai
20 WinksGenes, Not Grit, Determine People’s Ability to Function Normally on Less Sleep New research sheds light on how some people can sleep 3-4 hours per night and still function at full potential. By Rajvi Desai
Diversity Is ProgressMost Genetic Studies Use Only White Subjects, Leading to Limited Health Care Options for People of Color Scientists have a moral responsibility to develop health care for all, without ethnic, cultural, economic, or educational boundaries. By Karoline Kuchenbaecker, Evangelos Vassos & Roseann Peterson, The Conversation
Not In Your HandIn a First, Scientists Identify the Genes Associated With Left‑Handedness It's time to let die the myth that left-handednes can and should be corrected. By Anubhuti Matta
Study: How Social Status Gets Embedded in Genes New research in monkeys suggests the chronic stress that comes with low social status affects gene expression and upward mobility can't undo it. By Pallavi Prasad
Pass It OnStudy: The Likelihood of Developing PTSD Following Trauma Is Partly Determined by Genetics In the largest and most diverse genetic study of PTSD to date, scientists have identified sex- and ancestry-specific genetic risk factors for the psychiatric disorder. By Pallavi Prasad