Category: 5. Biology

Sometimes, a small error in the sequence of DNA can lead to a very serious disease. Scientists have identified many mutations that arise in a single gene to cause an illness, such as mutations in the CFTR gene…

Social isolation may accelerate cognitive decline later in life, reported a new study published in The Journals of Gerontology.

“As Alzheimer’s is a leading cause of death for older adults in the…

One of the many things I love about biology is the way evolution situates us in the grand context of deep time. It connects us to billions of years of struggle, survival and adaptation; it places my ancestors in unrecognizable forms and…

The huge and diverse community of microbes in the human gastrointestinal tract is intimately linked to many aspects of our health and well-being. Since discovering its importance, researchers have begun to…

The huge and diverse community of microbes in the human gastrointestinal tract is intimately linked to many aspects of our health and well-being. Since discovering its importance, researchers have begun to…

There is a huge amount of DNA in most human cells, and that DNA has to be carefully compacted and organized so that it will fit into a cell’s nucleus, while the crucial parts of it remain accessible so that…

Long COVID continues to afflict many people, and confound doctors. We have learned more about various trajectories the illness can take, who is at risk, and ways to reduce the risk of the illness, such as by…