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Scientists Rethink How Much Lifespan Is in Our Control
Research upending long-held estimates of genetic influence on lifespan could relieve the pressure to get all the lifestyle factors right.
Should We Use Science to Edit Human Life? Watch the Debate
Gene editing of human embryos could prevent serious genetic disease and improve quality of life in unprecedented ways. But it also raises major ethical concerns.
DNA research just rewrote the origin of human species
Scientists have uncovered a surprising new picture of human origins that challenges the long-held idea of a single ancestral population in Africa. By analyzing genetic data from diverse modern African groups—especially the highly distinct Nama people—and comparing it with fossil evidence, researchers found that early humans likely evolved from multiple intermingling populations over hundreds of thousands of years. Rather than a clean split, these groups stayed connected, exchanging genes even after beginning to diverge around 120,000–135,000 years ago.
DNA study of nearly 200 Indigenous genomes reveals unknown Asian 'ghost' population contributed to American ancestry
New genetic results reveal a previously unknown wave of people settled in South America 1,300 years ago and that Indigenous Americans carry remnants of a "ghost lineage."
Growing use of guest editors has turned some journals into a ‘playground of bad science’
The problematic use of guest editors was spotlighted last week when a genetics journal retracted nearly an entire special issue.
'A landmark moment for the field': FDA approves first-ever gene therapy for inherited deafness
A gene therapy made by Regeneron is the first treatment of its kind approved for genetic hearing loss.
For the first time, scientists pinpoint the brain cells behind depression
Scientists have identified two specific types of brain cells that behave differently in people with depression, offering a clearer picture of what is happening inside the brain. By analyzing donated brain tissue with advanced genetic tools, the researchers found changes in neurons linked to mood and stress, as well as in immune-related microglia cells. These differences point to disruptions in key brain systems and reinforce that depression is rooted in biology, not just emotions.
Using AI To Personalize Healthcare–Without Losing Patient Trust
In this week’s edition of InnovationRx, we look at the opportunities and challenges of using AI to personalize healthcare and speed up clinical trials, the future of genetic medicine, another big Lilly acquisition, and more.
1 in 50 million split-colored lobster found in Massachusetts
The three-pound crustacean will live at an aquarium, offering a fun genetics lesson.
Ancient DNA reveals a hidden Neanderthal group frozen in time
A remarkable genetic breakthrough has uncovered what may be one of the clearest snapshots yet of a Neanderthal “community” living together 100,000 years ago in what is now Poland. The findings reveal that these individuals shared genetic ties with Neanderthals spread across Europe and the Caucasus, hinting at widespread ancient lineages that later disappeared.
No. 25 on the list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians: Adam Anderson
Anderson is focused heavily on genetic and rare disease policy, a deeply personal issue for the lawmaker.
‘The Oscar of science’ awarded to scientists behind genetic treatment that restores lost vision win
Breakthrough prize in Life Sciences awarded to team who developed Luxturna therapy, which helped a patient see their child’s face for the first time
What Determines Your Eye Color? The Answer Is More Complicated Than You Think.
Genetics, right? Sort of. Scientists just learned its a bit more nuanced than high school biology.
Tumour cells use a genetic trick to become drug-resistant
The same trick could also be used against them
Mount Sinai Health System and SOPHiA GENETICS Announce Collaboration to Advance Precision Cancer Care from AACR 2026
/PRNewswire/ -- SOPHiA GENETICS (NASDAQ: SOPH), a global leader in AI-driven precision medicine, today announced that the Mount Sinai Health System, one of the...
New exhibitions on science of genetics, lead poisoning advocacy, on show at UAB’s Lister Hill Library
New exhibitions on science of genetics, lead poisoning advocacy, on show at UAB’s Lister Hill Library
'Oslo patient' likely cured of HIV after getting stem cell transplant from his brother, who is genetically resistant to the virus
A man known as the "Oslo patient" joins a short list of people in long-term remission from HIV following bone marrow transplants.
Scientists decode the dynamic heart of elephant grass chromosomes
Centromeres act as the control centers of chromosomes, ensuring accurate genetic inheritance during cell division, yet they remain among the least understood genomic regions due to their repetitive structure.
Scientists were wrong about lifespan. Your genes matter way more than we thought
For years, scientists believed our lifespan was mostly shaped by environment and chance, with genetics playing only a minor role. But a new study from the Weizmann Institute flips that idea on its head, revealing that genes may actually account for about half of the differences in how long people live. By analyzing massive twin datasets—including twins raised apart—and using innovative simulations to filter out deaths from accidents and other external causes, researchers uncovered a hidden genetic influence that had been masked for decades.
Why Ozempic doesn’t work for everyone: Scientists just found a hidden reason
A new study reveals that popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy may not work as effectively for about 10% of people due to specific genetic variants. These individuals appear to have a puzzling condition called “GLP-1 resistance,” where their bodies produce higher levels of the hormone targeted by these drugs—but don’t respond to it properly.
Hidden weak spots in HIV and Ebola revealed with breakthrough nanodisc technology
A new nanodisc-based platform lets scientists study viral proteins in a form that closely mimics real viruses, revealing how antibodies truly recognize them. This approach uncovered hidden interactions in viruses like HIV and Ebola that traditional methods missed. By recreating the virus’s membrane environment, researchers can better understand how immune defenses work. The technique could speed up the development of more effective vaccines.
Major Wolverhampton genetics study targets community health gaps
A study invites Pakistani and Bangladeshi residents in Wolverhampton to help improve health care.
Your DNA has a secret “second code” that decides which genes get silenced
Not all parts of our genetic code are equal, even when they appear to say the same thing. Scientists have discovered that cells can detect less efficient genetic instructions and selectively silence them. A protein called DHX29 plays a key role in this process by identifying and suppressing weaker messages. This finding reveals a hidden layer of control in how genes are used.
Scientists discover hidden gut trigger behind ALS and dementia
A new study reveals that gut bacteria may play a key role in triggering ALS and frontotemporal dementia. Harmful sugars produced by these microbes can spark immune responses that damage the brain. This breakthrough explains why some genetically at-risk people develop the diseases while others don’t. Even more promising, reducing these sugars improved brain health in experiments, hinting at new treatment possibilities.
On plant health and embracing new plant-breeding techniques in South Africa
The major challenge currently confronting South Africa’s agriculture is the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. For many farmers across the country, the most urgent tasks are both securing sufficient vaccines and rolling them out quickly in the coming months, particularly as the beef and dairy industries continue to suffer big losses. There is also pressure on sheep, goats, and other livestock to prevent the disease from spreading. As efforts to get the country through this monumental challenge continue, I believe it is important to sharpen our focus on the broader task at hand: strengthening biosecurity. This covers both animal and plant health. In recent years, we haven’t focused much on plant health, except a few times, such as when we had a goss’s wilt scare in the maize industry, a few cases of citrus black spot, or cases of sclerotinia in sunflower seeds. But the fact that South Africa managed to control the outbreaks of these particular diseases when they occurred a few years ago was due to organized agricultural and government scientific capabilities, and, most importantly, the availability of crop protection or agrochemicals necessary to address some of them. Therefore, as the animal health division in the Department of Agriculture focuses on the pressing challenge of the day, the foot-and-mouth disease, there is an opportunity for the plant health division to assess if they have all the requirements to tackle any outbreak that may occur on fruits, vegetables or crops in future. The challenge with crop diseases is that they can spread quickly and cause much more rapid damage in the field than we typically see with livestock. Therefore, speed is everything in ensuring the appropriate controls are available. I raise this as an important area, particularly given the drastic climate variation we observe across the country. The production conditions in some areas have changed noticeably over time, which may introduce new risks. The other essential part is ensuring that South Africa has access to the best crop protection technology available in the market. Many technology developers worldwide have operations in South Africa. Therefore, the Department of Agriculture, along with the Agricultural Research Council, must continuously interact with technology developers to assess the various crop protection technologies they are releasing globally and determine their suitability and need in South Africa. This will require a proactive approach from the government, unlike the current approach, in which technology developers typically approach regulators with new technologies. The government, recognising the food security risks, must take a proactive approach to ensure that South African farmers have access to the latest crop protection technologies, thereby safeguarding the country’s food security. Beyond crop protection, we must never forget that South Africa’s agriculture is key to ensuring that the country is the most food-secure country at the national level in sub-Saharan Africa. South Africa is also the only African country in the top-40 global agricultural exporters, having more than doubled since 1994 on the back of the adoption of high-yielding seed cultivars. South Africa has been the only African country to adopt a bold approach to embracing science and adopting genetically engineered seeds for grains and oilseeds in the early 2000s. Since then, we have seen crop yields improve noticeably, contributing to the gains we mentioned above. But ensuring that South Africa improves further is not a given. The key lies in South African regulators’ attitudes towards new technologies. We have to maintain a progressive approach and not give in to the politics of non-food and non-scientific voices that shout on the sidelines. Food security is national security, and the government must ensure we progress, leaning on science. Therefore, the registration of high-yielding new genomic techniques is required. South Africa cannot afford to fall behind the EU, the USA, South America, and many of its competitors in global agriculture. The Department of Agriculture’s crop science division must adopt a progress-and-science-embracing approach for the good of the country. Thanks for reading AgriView! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe Share
One way to live longer: Win the genetic lottery
We may have less control over how long we live than previously thought.
1000 new African genomes added to global science
Wits-led AGenDA project sequenced 1,000+ African genomes, uncovering vast genetic diversity and novel variants. This helps correct Eurocentric bias in global datasets, improving disease prediction, treatment design, and ensuring African populations benefit from genomic medicine.
Are allergies genetic?
Although babies born from parents with allergies are also more likely to have them, there are a number of outside factors that affect whether and how someone develops allergies.
A gene mutation may trap the brain in the wrong reality in schizophrenia patients
A newly identified gene mutation may help explain why schizophrenia patients struggle to update their understanding of reality. The mutation disrupts a brain circuit involved in flexible decision-making, causing mice to stick with outdated choices even when conditions change. Researchers pinpointed the issue to a key thalamus–prefrontal cortex pathway. By reactivating this circuit, they were able to restore normal behavior—raising hope for future therapies.
Scientists just found DNA “supergenes” that speed up evolution
Hidden within fish DNA are powerful genetic twists that may explain one of nature’s biggest mysteries: how new species form so quickly. In Lake Malawi, hundreds of cichlid fish species evolved at lightning speed, and scientists now think “flipped” sections of DNA—called chromosomal inversions—are the secret. These inversions lock together useful gene combinations, creating “supergenes” that help fish rapidly adapt to different environments, from deep waters to sandy shores.
Helen H. Hobbs, M.D., honored for innovation in cardiovascular science
Helen H. Hobbs, M.D., Professor in the Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development and of Internal Medicine and Molecular Genetics at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Valentin Fuster Award for Innovation in Science by the American College of Cardiology (ACC).
The tragedy of Adam Ankers – and why his family want football to learn from his death
Nobody knew Adam Ankers had a genetic heart condition. Two years after his death, it has to be hoped that his legacy is to make sport safer
Polar bears are struggling in every aspect of their lives, but scientists are hoping to prevent extinction through genetic management
Polar bears are struggling to survive as Arctic ice disappears, limiting food, reducing habitat, and pushing their ability to adapt.
New cholesterol guidelines could change when you get tested
A major new U.S. cholesterol guideline is shifting the focus toward earlier, more personalized prevention of heart disease. It urges people to start screening sooner—sometimes even in childhood—and highlights the importance of tracking not just LDL (“bad”) cholesterol but also genetic risk factors like lipoprotein(a). A new, more advanced risk calculator now uses broader health data to better predict heart attack and stroke risk over decades.
Robert Trivers, Eccentric Scientist Who Probed Human Nature, Dies at 83
A visionary evolutionary biologist, he drew comparisons to Charles Darwin with his theories on the genetic roots of seemingly detrimental behaviors like self-deception.
Transgender women banned from Olympics by new IOC policy
The new policy limits eligibility in women’s events to biological females based on genetic screening beginning at the 2028 Games.
Humans Had Dogs Before They Had Farming, Ancient DNA Confirms
New research pushes the first genetic evidence of dogs back by 5,000 years and suggests that hunter-gatherer groups may have acquired dogs from one another.
Scientists Call for a Complete Rethink of Alzheimer’s Treatment
New insights suggest that Alzheimer’s cannot be tackled through a single pathway, as its roots extend across molecular, genetic, and systemic processes.
Mouse study shows repeated cloning causes grave genetic mutations
1,206 cloned laboratory mice were generated by the scientists from a single female donor mouse from 2005 to 2025 in research conducted in Japan.
We disagreed on politics. We agreed on wine. That was enough.
At the Virginia Governor’s Cup Gala in Richmond earlier this month, a very dapper gentleman approached me and introduced himself. In his light-colored suit and bowtie, he looked very Southern in a classical sense, the sort of Virginia Gentleman you used to see south of the Rappahannock as recently as my college days. “I’m a longtime reader and fan of your writing, if not your politics,” he said. His comment was the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove, simultaneously conveying praise and disapproval while establishing boundaries. Man, I wish we still discoursed like this instead of shouting bromides and insults to try and “own” our opponents with a funny meme and a furrowed brow. Subscribe “Well, we’ll always have wine to share together,” I said, and thanked him for his kind words. We clinked glasses, exchanged pleasantries about the delicious gold medal-winning wines being poured that evening, and went our separate ways. Our exchange reminded me that more unites us than divides us. Wine brings people together to share a meal and a few hours of joy despite our differences.1 That’s why I refer to the wine community — including readers and consumers — rather than the wine industry. Together, we are so much more than production, distribution and sales statistics. A few minutes later the evening’s awards ceremony began. Applause grew as the 12 winemakers who made the top-scoring wines for the Governor’s Case took the stage, including a loud cheer for Jonathan Wheeler of Trump Winery and his 2018 Blanc de Noir sparkling wine. All the winemakers on stage had reason to be proud, Wheeler perhaps more so. Trump Winery was the only winery to win six gold medals in the competition this year. (Wineries are limited to six entries.) Two of Wheeler’s ciders also won gold medals in a separate competition. When you cover the labels and take the sour taste of politics off your palate, the wines are pretty darn good.2 Then Gov. Abigail Spanberger, newly elected Democrat and Virginia’s first female governor, was introduced to great applause to announce which of the 12 wines had won the Governor’s Cup. She spoke for a few minutes about the importance of wine to Virginia’s economy and tourism and the international acclaim Virginia wine has received. Just two weeks earlier, she gave the Democrats’ response to Trump’s State of the Union speech, but this night wasn’t about politics. That didn’t stop several people in the crowd from speculating on the irony should she have to present the trophy to Trump Winery. In the end, Valley Road Vineyards was displayed on the screen behind Spanberger as the winning winery. Blue Bee Cidery in Richmond took top honors for that category. The crowd cheered a female governor presenting the state’s highest trophy to a female winemaker and then resumed the evening’s festivities, united by their mutual love of wine. A whiff of politics couldn’t dim the cheer of celebration and a community united by its love of wine. In Memoriam: Michel Rolland The global wine community lost a giant March 20, with the passing of Michel Rolland. He was 78. Rolland was the original “flying winemaker,” a globe-trotting consultant who helped Bordeaux regain its mojo in the 1970s and then shaped the rise of Napa Valley cult Cabernet as consultant to Simi, Harlan, Newton, Screaming Eagle, Araujo, Dalle Valle and other wineries. He was instrumental in Argentina’s rise to prominence and even had his own winery, Clos de los Siete, in a partnership with other wine families. Rolland’s career arc paralleled that of Robert Parker, the world’s most influential critic. Parker championed many of the wines Rolland consulted on, helping build his reputation and demand for his services. It also made him a target for Parker’s critics. As W. Blake Gray wrote on Wine-Searcher in his excellent tribute to Rolland: Rolland created the type of wines Parker loved: rich body, plenty of fruit, soft tannins. He sometimes faced the accusation of creating a generic international style of red wine, where the great wines he made in Argentina were indistinguishable from the great wines he made in France. Rolland chafed at that critique, as did many of his fans. He was credited with championing green harvesting and leaf pulling, as well as careful selection of grapes in the winery, practices we nearly universally think of today for high-quality winemaking. “Michel was an incredible innovator who changed how wine was made and how grapes were grown,” Napa Valley winemaker Aaron Pott wrote on Facebook. “His work has transformed the wine trade. He created new ways of looking at wine, tasting wine, evaluating ripeness and quality. … This was not just a man with a ‘style’ that he imposed on vineyards but a man that understood how to make great wine from great sites.” Rolland started his consulting company in 1973 in Libourne, in Bordeaux, with his wife, Dany. Both had graduated the year before from Bordeaux’s Institute d’Oenologie. The couple sold their majority share in the business in 2020, according to Wine Spectator. Over his career, Rolland reportedly worked with more than 100 wineries in 20 countries. He even made it to Virginia, where he consulted for Kluge Estate in the mid-2000s. (Kluge Estate is now Trump Winery.) Reader feedback, please! Last week, I did my first WineLine Live! with Dr. Laura Catena of Catena Zapata winery in Argentina. We enjoyed a fascinating discussion about her efforts to preserve the genetic heritage of old vineyards in Mendoza. I conceived of WineLine Live! for paid subscribers, as a thank you for your financial support. And while only a few people joined live, the video now has more views than I have paid subscribers, so I guess that’s pretty good. Even so, I’m considering opening future installments to anyone on Substack to reach a broader audience. So my questions to you: Should these be public? And what format do you prefer? Live gives a chat feature with the potential for viewers to interact with me and the guest, while a video post would just be that. Another alternative is a podcast, which would just be audio, without video of my chins. Please let me know in the comments. Leave a comment In the Glass A few wines I’ve enjoyed recently: Bonny Doon Vineyard Take Me to Your Liter, Le Cigare Volant, Red Wine of the Earth. 2023, Central Coast, CA. Blend of Grenache, Syrah Cinsaut and Petite Sirah. Delightful wine with expressive red fruit flavors, casual drinking. Doon lovers of a certain age will remember Randall Grahm’s Big House Red; this is more in that style than his original Le Cigare Volant, modeled after Chateauneuf du Pape. The liter bottle makes it an even better value. I see this online at about $15. Great value. Albert Bichot Bourgogne Pinot Noir Origines 2023. 13% - Textbook pinot noir and an excellent, affordable entry (regional) Burgundy. Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2025. $24 at Total Wine & More. Loma Larga Pinot Noir 2021 “Coastal Cool Climate Wine”, Valle de Casablanca, Chile. An older sample, showing beautifully. Spicy and fruit forward. I’m seeing widely varied pricing online, from $18-$32. At the lower end, it’s a terrific value. 13.5% Dr. Loosen Riesling Dry 2016, Mosel, Germany. Found this “in the stack.” And it stacked up well, shedding some of its youthful acidity for opulent Riesling character, including a hint of the mineral oil older Riesling often features. A great value, as I’m seeing it as low as $14 online. 12% abv. Red Tail Ridge Blau Franc Blend 2024, Sans Oak, Finger Lakes. 13.4% abv. The name is a neat portmanteau of Blaufrankisch and Cabernet Franc, thus Blau Franc. The blend is 50-50, no oak involved. The Blau dominates on the palate, with the spicy caraway seed (think New York deli rye bread). The Franc adds body. The result is juicy, energetic and joyful. Sokol Blosser Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir 2025, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon. This first rosé of 2025 was a welcome respite to our cold, snowy winter here in the Mid-Atlantic. Oh man, I needed this! Bright and energetic, exuberant even, it perks up the mood and goes down fast. 13%. Certified B Corp. Ingredient and nutrition labeling, and in a modest way that doesn’t occupy a lot of label space. (Since it’s not required, presumably there are no minimum font size requirements.) More wineries should follow this example. Dave McIntyre's WineLine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Thanks for reading Dave McIntyre's WineLine! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share 1 Some restraint may be required. 2 Especially the bubblies.
A geneticist is studying pythons for clues about human health and longevity
A team of researchers believes that pythons may contain clues to help treat a range of human ailments — from heart disease to muscle atrophy, and more.
A promising fatty liver treatment may raise cancer risk
A surprising new study reveals that blocking a supposedly protective enzyme, Caspase-2, could actually backfire—raising the risk of chronic liver damage and cancer over time. Researchers found that without this enzyme, liver cells grow abnormally large and accumulate genetic damage, leading to inflammation, scarring, and eventually tumors, especially with age. While inhibiting Caspase-2 may offer short-term benefits, such as reducing fatty liver disease, the long-term consequences appear dangerous.
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support 47 summer interns in 2025! We aim to accept even more of the several thousand who will apply for summer 2026.
Scientists Uncover Hidden “Second Layer” in Human DNA
A newly identified cellular system monitors subtle variations in genetic coding, hinting at a hidden level of control over how genes are expressed.
Men are losing a key chromosome with age and it may be deadly
Aging men often lose the Y chromosome in a growing number of their cells—and it may be far more dangerous than once believed. This loss has been linked to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and shorter lifespans. Researchers suspect Y-less cells may grow faster and disrupt normal body functions. What seemed like a minor genetic quirk could actually be a major driver of age-related disease.
How did these flowers evolve to survive a megadrought?
A multi-year megadrought in the Western U.S. has claimed untold populations of wild plants. Amid the conditions, some have survived. Scientists have produced a stunningly complete picture about how populations of one particular flower – the scarlet monkeyflower – made it through. In a new study published in the journal Science, a team of scientists spent decades studying and sampling select populations of scarlet monkeyflowers in California and Oregon. Through genetic sequencing, the team discovered that the populations that did best went through genetic changes in a short time period. This is known as rapid evolution. The team found that three of the populations that recovered the BEST adapted their stomata to open less, so they could conserve more water. Stomata act like a plant’s pores, managing gas exchange and water loss. This allowed the scarlet monkeyflowers to hunker down in the drought and survive. Interested in more stories about rapid evolution? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Listen to Short Wave on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.This episode was produced by Jeffrey Pierre, Rachel Carlson and Hannah Chinn. It was edited by Christopher Intagliata and Rebecca Ramirez. Aru Nair checked the facts. The audio engineers were Becky Brown and Robert Rodriguez.
Your daily coffee may be protecting your brain, 43-year study finds
Your morning coffee or tea could be quietly supporting your brain health. A long-term study found that moderate consumption of caffeinated coffee or tea was linked to an 18% lower risk of dementia and better cognitive performance over time. The benefits appeared strongest at 2–3 cups of coffee or 1–2 cups of tea daily—and even held true for people genetically predisposed to dementia.
Asteroid Reveals The 5 Key Genetic Ingredients For Life on Earth
Could they be widespread in the Solar System after all?
Can science slow down aging?
Geneticist Anne Brunet explores what aging really is, how lifestyle choices might influence longevity, and the promising frontiers of aging research.
Scientists discover ALS protein that links DNA repair to cancer and dementia
A protein tied to ALS and dementia may have a much bigger role in disease than scientists realized. Researchers found that TDP43 controls a key DNA repair process, but when the protein becomes imbalanced, the repair system can spiral out of control, harming neurons and destabilizing DNA. The team also discovered that high levels of the protein are linked to increased mutation rates in cancer. The discovery places TDP43 at the center of both neurodegeneration and cancer biology.
Scientists discover ancient DNA “switches” hidden in plants for 400 million years
Scientists have uncovered an enormous hidden archive of plant DNA that has endured for more than 400 million years. By comparing hundreds of plant genomes, researchers identified more than 2.3 million regulatory DNA sequences that act like genetic switches, controlling when and how genes are activated. These sequences, known as conserved non-coding sequences (CNSs), were detected using a new computational tool called Conservatory.
Difficult people in your life might make you age faster, study suggests
New research suggests that difficult people, aka hasslers, contribute to chronic stress and elevate epigenetic biomarkers associated with aging.
A koala population’s rapid rebound may let it escape inbreeding perils
As koalas in southern Australia have grown from a few hundred to almost half a million, the marsupials show signs of regaining lost genetic variation.
Scientists discover the protein that malaria parasites can’t live without
Scientists have uncovered a crucial weakness in the malaria parasite that could open the door to new treatments. Researchers identified a protein called Aurora-related kinase 1 (ARK1) that acts like a traffic controller during the parasite’s unusual cell division process, ensuring its genetic material is properly separated as it multiplies. When scientists switched off ARK1 in laboratory experiments, the parasite could no longer replicate correctly and failed to complete its life cycle in both humans and mosquitoes—effectively halting its ability to spread.
Scientists find the genetic switch that makes pancreatic cancer resist chemotherapy
Scientists have identified a crucial molecular switch that decides whether pancreatic cancer cells resist chemotherapy or respond to it. The key player, a gene called GATA6, keeps tumours in a more structured and treatable form—but it gets shut down by an overactive KRAS-driven pathway. When researchers blocked that pathway, GATA6 levels rebounded and cancer cells became more sensitive to chemo. The discovery could help turn some of the toughest pancreatic tumours into ones doctors can better control.
For every known vertebrate species, two more may be hiding in plain sight
Earth’s vertebrate diversity may be far richer than anyone realized. A sweeping analysis of more than 300 studies suggests that for every known fish, bird, reptile, amphibian, or mammal species, there are about two nearly identical “cryptic” species hiding in plain sight—genetically distinct but visually almost impossible to tell apart. Thanks to advances in DNA sequencing, scientists are uncovering these long-separated lineages, some evolving independently for over a million years.
How the body really ages: 7 million cells mapped across 21 organs
Scientists have built a massive cellular atlas showing how aging reshapes the body across 21 organs. Studying nearly 7 million cells, they found that aging starts earlier than expected and unfolds in a coordinated way throughout the body. About a quarter of cell types change in number over time, and many of these shifts differ between males and females. The research also highlights shared genetic “hotspots” that could become targets for anti-aging therapies.
Your morning coffee could one day help fight cancer
Scientists at Texas A&M are turning an everyday pick-me-up into a high-tech medical switch. By combining caffeine with CRISPR gene editing, researchers have created a system that allows cells to be programmed in advance — and then activated simply by consuming a small dose of caffeine from coffee, chocolate, or soda. The approach, known as chemogenetics, lets scientists precisely turn gene-editing activity on and off inside targeted cells, including powerful immune T cells that can fight cancer.
Scientists discover microbe that breaks a fundamental rule of the genetic code
Scientists at UC Berkeley have discovered a microbe that bends one of biology’s most sacred rules. Instead of treating a specific three-letter DNA code as a clear “stop” signal, this methane-producing archaeon sometimes reads it as a green light—adding an unusual amino acid and continuing to build the protein. The result is a kind of genetic coin flip: two different proteins can emerge from the same code, influenced partly by environmental conditions.
A genetic analysis reveals new details on ancient couplings between humans and Neanderthals
Ancient linkups may have happened more frequently between female humans and male Neanderthals, according to an new genetic analysis.
The more you fear aging, the faster your body may age
Worrying about getting older—especially fearing future health problems—may actually speed up aging at the cellular level, according to new research from NYU. In a study of more than 700 women, those who felt more anxious about aging showed signs of faster biological aging in their blood, measured using cutting-edge “epigenetic clocks.” Fears about declining health had the strongest link, while concerns about beauty or fertility didn’t appear to have the same biological impact.
UTA appoints Lal to lead precision health, informatics
Dennis Lal, a renowned neurogenetics expert, succeeds Marion Ball at the Center for Innovation in Health Informatics
Fat or Skinny Fat: Both Can Harm Your Health | Join the Anti-Obesity Health Base: Outsmart the Obesity Threat Together
Hong Kong is a world-renowned food paradise, offering everything from local snacks like fish balls and egg waffles to Michelin-starred culinary experiences. However, maintaining a healthy weight amidst fast-paced lifestyles, high pressure, and even genetic factors has become a relentless battle. Excessive fat accumulation poses significant health risks, and even those with a seemingly slender physique can fall into the trap of obesity. Today, obesity is no longer just a cosmetic concern; it is c
Scientists engineer bacteria to eat cancer tumors from the inside out
Researchers are engineering bacteria to invade tumors and consume them from the inside. Because tumor cores lack oxygen, they’re the perfect breeding ground for these microbes. The team added a genetic tweak that helps the bacteria survive longer near oxygen-exposed edges — but only once enough of them are present to trigger the change. It’s a carefully programmed biological attack that could one day offer a new way to destroy cancer.
'Some of them have accuracy that's close to zero': Experts unpack the promise and pitfalls of genetic tests aimed at consumers
Live Science spoke with a bioethicist and sociologist about emerging genomic technologies, including those that enable parents to "score" and "select" IVF embryos.
“Celtic curse” hotspots found in Scotland and Ireland with 1 in 54 at risk
Researchers have mapped the genetic risk of hemochromatosis across the UK and Ireland for the first time, uncovering striking hotspots in north-west Ireland and the Outer Hebrides. In some regions, around one in 60 people carry the high-risk gene variant linked to iron overload. The condition can take decades to surface but may lead to liver cancer and arthritis if untreated.
The quest to engineer silk that’s stronger than steel
It already exists in the natural world. Now, thanks to breakthroughs in genetic engineering, scientists have created “supersilk.” And it’s poised to upgrade far more than our clothing.
Biologists discover gene that may determine ‘good’ and ‘bad’ dads
Social cues and surprising genetics may affect mammal fathers.
Whoops, Scientists May Have Severely Miscalculated the Number of Species on Earth
A new study focused on cryptic species—animals that look the same but are genetically different—found that they’re more widespread among vertebrates than we previously thought.
Breakthrough CRISPR system could reverse antibiotic resistance crisis
Antibiotic resistance is racing toward a global crisis, with “superbugs” projected to cause over 10 million deaths annually by 2050. Now, scientists at UC San Diego have unveiled a powerful new CRISPR-based tool that doesn’t just fight resistant bacteria—it can actively strip away their drug resistance. Inspired by gene drives used in insects, the technology spreads a genetic “fix” through bacterial populations, even inside stubborn biofilms that shield microbes from antibiotics.
Scientists Discovered Silkworms Have a Genetic Secret for Living Longer. You Have It, Too.
Larvae of the silk moth tend to live longer lives if they have higher levels of an enzyme known as NAD+.
Ancient DNA solves 12,000-year-old mystery of rare genetic growth disorder
An Ice Age double burial in Italy has yielded a stunning genetic revelation. DNA from a mother and daughter who lived over 12,000 years ago shows that the younger had a rare inherited growth disorder, confirmed through mutations in a key bone-growth gene. Her mother carried a milder version of the same mutation. The finding not only solves a long-standing mystery but also proves that rare genetic diseases stretch far back into prehistory.
Mysterious RNA led scientists to a hidden layer of cancer
A mysterious RNA found in breast cancer led scientists to uncover an entire hidden class of cancer-specific RNAs across dozens of tumor types. These molecules form unique molecular signatures that identify cancer type and subtype with remarkable accuracy. Some even drive tumor growth and metastasis. Because many are released into the bloodstream, a simple blood test can track how patients respond to treatment and predict survival.
Scientists discover the enzyme that lets cancer rapidly rewire its DNA
Researchers have uncovered the enzyme behind chromothripsis, a chaotic chromosome-shattering event seen in about one in four cancers. The enzyme, N4BP2, breaks apart DNA trapped in tiny cellular structures, unleashing a burst of genetic changes that can help tumors rapidly adapt and resist therapy. Blocking the enzyme dramatically reduced this genomic destruction in cancer cells.
Their Mutated Genes Were Supposed to Be Harmless
‘Carriers’ of certain genetic diseases, who have just one affected gene, can have symptoms, too.
Scientists discover a hidden gut bacterium linked to good health
A global study has uncovered a mysterious group of gut bacteria that shows up again and again in healthy people. Known as CAG-170, these microbes were found at lower levels in people with a range of chronic diseases. Genetic clues suggest they help digest food and support the broader gut ecosystem. Researchers say the discovery could reshape how we measure and maintain gut health.
The human exposome could change everything we know about disease
Scientists are launching an ambitious global effort to map the “human exposome” — the lifelong mix of environmental and chemical exposures that drive most diseases. Backed by new partnerships with governments, UNESCO, and international science advisory bodies, the initiative is rapidly expanding across continents. Powered by AI and advanced data tools, the movement seeks to shift medicine beyond genetics and toward the real-world factors shaping human health.
Scientists discover a hidden gut bacterium linked to good health
A global study has uncovered a mysterious group of gut bacteria that shows up again and again in healthy people. Known as CAG-170, these microbes were found at lower levels in people with a range of chronic diseases. Genetic clues suggest they help digest food and support the broader gut ecosystem. Researchers say the discovery could reshape how we measure and maintain gut health.
An Invisible World Is All Around You, Scientists Say—If You’re Lucky Enough to See It
On “The Astounding Pop Mech Show,” Andrew Daniels and John Gilpatrick discuss the genetic quirk that could open up a whole new reality for some people.
A Tragedy of Early COVID Has Finally Been Explained
Dangerous blood clotting associated with certain vaccines had a genetic cause, according to a new paper.
UK public health system posts job ad for nurse focused on 'close-relative marriage'
UK health agency advertises nursing role for families in cousin marriages linked to higher genetic risks for children in controversial health program.
Scientists find genes that existed before all life on Earth
Life’s story may stretch further back than scientists once thought. Some genes found in nearly every organism today were already duplicated before all life shared a common ancestor. By tracking these rare genes, researchers can investigate how early cells worked and what features of life emerged first. New computational tools are now helping scientists unlock this hidden chapter of evolution.
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center > Patient Resources > Health Services > Specialty Care > Murtha Cancer Center > Cancer Genetics Services
Cancer Genetics is an integral component of the Murtha Cancer Center. We provide world-class, patient-centered cancer genetics services that consist of a multi-disciplinary approach integrating gynecology oncology, colorectal surgery, surgical oncology, plastic surgery, medical oncology and social work.
Afraid of getting older? A study links health worries to faster epigenetic aging
Having anxiety about aging—particularly fears about declining health—may manifest on a cellular level and contribute to accelerated aging among women, according to a study by researchers at NYU School ...
Scientists were wrong for decades about DNA knots
Scientists have discovered that DNA behaves in a surprising way when squeezed through tiny nanopores, overturning a long-held assumption in genetics research. What researchers once thought were knots causing messy electrical signals turn out to be something else entirely: twisted coils called plectonemes, formed as flowing ions inside the pore spin the DNA like a phone cord. These twists can linger and grow as DNA moves through, leaving clear electrical fingerprints.
Statistics and data science symposium hosts early-career scientists
Researchers celebrated the role of numerical data in scientific research at a Jan. 26 event at the Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center. The Lange Symposium on Computational Statics and Biomedical Data Science – hosted by the UCLA Department of Computational Medicine and Human Genetics – invited six speakers from across the country to discuss their research.
Science history: 'Father of modern genetics' describes his experiments with pea plants — and proves that heredity is transmitted in discrete units
Gregor Mendel described his experiments with pea plants and proved that genes are transmitted in discrete units, with certain fundamental laws of inheritance.
Victim of 'Celtic Curse' spent years blaming herself for poor health
Anne Campbell says being diagnosed with a genetic disease in her 80s came as a relief.
How gene loss and monogamy built termite mega societies
Termites did not evolve complex societies by adding new genetic features. Instead, scientists found that they became more social by shedding genes tied to competition and independence. A shift to monogamy removed the need for sperm competition, while food sharing shaped who became workers or future kings and queens. Together, these changes helped termites build colonies that can number in the millions.
How direct-to-consumer health tests could impact insurance, mortgages, and employment
As more consumers order up lab tests and genetic screenings, experts say it could impact insurance, loans, and employment decisions.
Genes play a big part in driving lifespan, scientists find
How long a person lives may not only be down to their lifestyle - but their genetic makeup too, research suggests.
The secret to long life? It could be in the genes after all, say scientists
New study into ‘heritability’ shows that 50% of the variation in human lifespan could be down to genetics
Monkey Business: Using Genetics to Understanding Decision-Making in Monkeys
Abigail Morris first visited the Peruvian Amazon when she was 6 years old. Now, as a Ph.D. candidate in the Animal Behavior Graduate Group, she has returned to study how seasonal flooding affects the behavior, diet and population genetics of two species of monkey: monk sakis (Pithecia monachus) and large-headed capuchins (Sapajus apella macrocephalus).
Google DeepMind launches AI tool to help identify genetic drivers of disease
AlphaGenome can analyse up to 1m letters of DNA code at once and could pave way for new treatments
Google DeepMind launches AI tool to help identify genetic drivers of disease
AlphaGenome can analyse up to 1m letters of DNA code at once and could pave way for new treatments
Arctic scientists 'feel pretty uncomfortable' on Greenland
Science in the Arctic — and Greenland — is on the frontline of pressing challenges facing humanity, like climate change and genetics. Some researchers worry international collaboration is at risk.
Nature
Genetic variations affect biological processes and can drive disease, but deciphering the precise effects of DNA sequence changes remains a significant...
Despair-Inducing Analysis Shows AI Eroding the Reliability of Science Publishing
A flood of slop has arrived in science, and everyone has to get less lazy. But does 2026 feel like a time when anyone, anywhere, is getting less lazy?
National Academy of Sciences salutes Schnable for pioneering work
The National Academy of Sciences has awarded Husker plant geneticist James Schnable one of its highest honors for multiple advancements he has achieved in plant science. “Schnable’s pioneering innovations in plant genomics, quantitative genetics and phenotyping are reshaping how we understand, improve and sustain the world’s major crops,” the organization said in awarding him the 2026 NAS Prize in Food and Agriculture Sciences.
Project adds more than 1,000 new African genomes to global science
A newly published paper in Nature describes the complex process of launching a nine-country collaboration in Africa to significantly expand scientists' understanding of human genetic diversity. This can ...