Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery by creating artificial cells that mimic the behavior of living cells. This significant advancement, detailed in the journal Nature Chemistry, was achieved by Ronit Freeman, a researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill), along with her team. By manipulating DNA and proteins—the foundational elements […]
DNA
Posted inArchaeology
The Likeness of 6th Century Chinese Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou Reconstructed from DNA of his Remains
An ancient Chinese emperor from 1,500 years ago has been reconstructed by a team of researchers using DNA extracted from his remains. Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou dynasty’s face has been reconstructed, shedding light on his appearance and potential cause of death. The study, published in Current Biology, suggests that Emperor Wu’s death at […]
Posted inBronze Age Archaeology
Analysis of Bronze Age Teeth Shows How Dietary Change Drove the Evolution of Caries Bacteria
New research has shed light on the evolution of oral health and the impact of dietary changes on the human mouth. A team of scientists has successfully extracted and analyzed microbial DNA from two remarkably well-preserved 4,000-year-old teeth discovered in a limestone cave in Ireland. Their findings, which include the identification of gum disease-causing bacteria […]
Posted inIron Age Archaeology
Analysis Reveals Three Cases of Down Syndrome in Iron Age Spain, More than 2,500 Years Ago
An international investigation that has analyzed the genome of nearly 10,000 ancient individuals in search of chromosomal trisomies has identified six cases of Down syndrome, all of them in babies: five from between 5,000 and 2,500 years ago and one from a more recent period. Three of the prehistoric cases come from sites of the […]
Posted inScience
Denisovan Genetic Heritage Could Affect Mental Health of European and Asian Populations
A new study conducted by researchers from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE) in Spain has revealed that modern humans outside of Africa inherited a genetic variant from the Denisovans, an extinct species related to Neanderthals, which may have helped them adapt to the cold during the expansion out of Africa around 60,000 years ago. […]