Bacteriophages: Viruses that Attack Bacteria
Did you know that you, your pets and other animals are not the only targets of viruses? There are viruses that specifically ‘seek out’ …
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The Race for the $1000 Genome Project. The Cost of Personal Genome Analysis is Coming Down
Fast and cheap; that’s the future of gene sequencing. Dozens of companies are in a race to be the first to be able to sequence a human genome …
Continue ReadingDNA Fingerprinting History: An Innocent Man, John Richard Buckland, Goes Free
DNA fingerprinting was first applied to a criminal case in 1986, a year after the world first heard about the technology. It established the …
Continue ReadingErwin Chargaff and the History of Genetics
Erwin Chargaff (1905-2002), a gifted scientist in many fields, made several major contributions to the history of genetics. Rules that were named …
Continue ReadingFacts about Halley's Comet
In the world of comets, Halley’s Comet stands out for more reasons than one. Besides its visibility and relatively short orbital period, many …
Continue ReadingAncient DNA: Discovery of the Oldest Plant & Insect DNA in the World
The oldest known DNA molecules date back some 450,000 - 800,000 years ago. They were found in Greenland and were in reasonable shape. Details were …
Continue ReadingHow DNA Fingerprinting Works: Learn About the First Use of DNA Fingerprinting Ever
The landmark ‘DNA fingerprinting’ paper by Sir Alec Jeffreys was published in Nature in 1985. The technology was used for the first time …
Continue ReadingHow Many Stars Ae There and How Do Astronomers Count Them
The next time you are lucky enough to have a clear night not destroyed by pollution, kick back and count how many stars you can see. A tough job, to …
Continue ReadingPatterns of Genetic Mutations in Influenza Viruses
Influenza virus infection is a public health threat worldwide. Genetic sequence mutations are studied to reveal more about the associations between …
Continue ReadingDNA Structure. How is DNA Packed into A Nucleus?
DNA is in an incredible structure. This tightly coiled molecule houses the genes that an organism needs to grow and survive, and packing them all …
Continue ReadingThe Genetics of Blonde Hair: Eumelanin and Phaeomelanin
Hair color is based on the amount of melanin, or pigmentation, present in the hair. Two types of melanin affect hair color: eumelanin (which can be …
Continue ReadingWhere is DNA Found? Learn About DNA in Human Cells as well as in Plants, Animals, Bacteria & Outer Space!
From the tiniest bug, to the tallest oak tree, and largest mammal, DNA certainly gets around. What is so incredible about this molecule is its …
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