Certain organisms live where others can’t. They thrive in hostile conditions where others would not survive. These organisms are called extremophiles …
Continue ReadingThe British scientist Francis Galton was a first cousin of Charles Darwin and a brilliant, multi-faceted individual with wide-ranging interests. He is …
Continue ReadingSynthetic Genomics is a company that has been set up to build artificial life forms from the basic blocks of DNA. The aim is to come up with new ways …
Continue ReadingTelomeres are repetitive sequences of DNA at the ends of chromosomes. They protect these sub-cellular structures from attack and destruction.
Continue ReadingGeneticists have found that a specific protein within the DNA of cows has a major effect on the quality of the cheese. This is combined with …
Continue ReadingIn 1962, Crick and Watson were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for, discovering the structure of DNA. The third recipient was …
Continue ReadingMitochondria, the energy powerhouses of cells, are distinct from other organelles because they have their own DNA. The genetic material is different …
Continue ReadingAbout half a century ago as the US celebrated the International Geophysical Year, the Soviet Union was pushing ahead with a missile plan. In October …
Continue ReadingIt was Watson and Crick’s landmark paper that detailed the double helical structure of DNA, but there is also a long list of inspirational …
Continue ReadingLong before Crick and Watson had worked out the structure of DNA, Phoebus Levene (1869-1940) had discovered that the cell nucleus contains two types …
Continue ReadingThe purpose of constructing a DNA library is quite similar to that of a college book library. A DNA library allows scientists to search for particular …
Continue ReadingGenetic mutations are permanent changes in DNA. They can be acquired during an individual’s lifetime or inherited from a parent. Silent, …
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