UCLA On November 8, UCLA biologists reported that they had slowed the aging process in fruit flies. They activated a gene called PGC-1, which increases the activity of mitochondria, the tiny power generators in cells that control cell growth and tell cells when to live and die. “We took this […]
NEW YORK | Tue Nov 8, 2011 10 (Reuters) – They are among the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population and by 2050 their numbers could reach 601,000 but most centenarians never expected to reach 100 and many say lifestyle is the secret to longevity. More than a third […]
AMSTERDAM – A Dutch woman who held the title of the world’s oldest person when she died, aged 115, credited her longevity to a daily meal of herring, not smoking and limiting her alcohol intake. Six years later, however, scientists hope her genes may provide a better answer — and […]
Scientists Discover ‘Hidden’ Code in DNA Evolves More Rapidly Than Genetic Code ScienceDaily (Sep. 16, 2011) — A “hidden” code linked to the DNA of plants allows them to develop and pass down new biological traits far more rapidly than previously thought, according to the findings of a groundbreaking study […]
Number of centenarians hits new high in Japan TOKYO — The number of people aged 100 or older in rapidly greying Japan has hit a record high for the 41st consecutive year, the government said Tuesday. The health ministry said 37 out of every 100,000 people in the country are […]
ScienceDaily (Sep. 7, 2011) Researchers have created mammalian cells containing a single set of chromosomes for the first time in research funded by the Wellcome Trust and EMBO. The technique should allow scientists to better establish the relationships between genes and their function. Mammal cells usually contain two sets of […]
New study contradicts previous research that they came from farmer lineage British men may trace their lineage back to hunter-gatherers, not farmers as had previously been suspected. A new genetic lineage study finds that, contrary to previous research, British men do not descend from immigrant farmers who migrated west from […]
Are the windows to the soul the fearfully and wonderfully made creation of a sentient deity? Depends on whom you ask. AVALANCHE-JOURNAL Consider the human eye. That ocular globe contains a complex array of nerves, cells, muscles and tissues, allowing humans to see in varied lighting, discern depth, perceive distance […]
In an effort to combat malaria, researchers at Imperial College London hope to take advantage of the female mosquito’s plight–and reduce the mosquito population–by engineering spermless males. They say the key is that the females don’t seem able to tell the difference; they still mate with the sterile males and […]
A new study has suggested that the height of a child may be determined, in part, by knowing how far apart the mom and dad were born. If the mom and dad were born in the same town, their children are slightly shorter on average than the kids of parents […]
research suggests that your life choices might not be the crucial factor in determining whether you make it to 95 or beyond; it finds that many extremely old people appear to have been as bad as everyone else at indulging in poor health habits during their younger years. Of […]
Personal genetics company 23andMe wants to give African-Americans a detailed glimpse into the past. Starting today, the company is offering free genetic testing kits to 10,000 African-Americans in hopes to bolster African-American medical research while allow Black Americans to explore their global origins. Eligible participants must be of African descent, at […]
Anyone who’s ever struggled with their weight knows all the tricks for taming appetite: don’t eat mindlessly in front of the telly, don’t bolt your food and resist the triggers for non-hungry eating like boredom and stress. But what if you’d acquired a faulty gene that gave you such a […]
Implanting mice with human tumours to test new anti-cancer drugs, injecting rats with human stem cells to find out how the brain repairs itself after a stroke, inserting human genes into the DNA of goats to make a protein that treats human blood clotting disorders; these are some examples of […]
Scientists have created the world’s most detailed genetic map, culminating years of research into the DNA of African Americans and how genetic changes contribute to the risk of disease.Scientists have created the world’s most detailed genetic map, culminating years of research into the DNA of African Americans and how genetic […]
New research shows that if you’re above average height you’re general standard of health will be higher too, although you are slightly more at risk from certain cancers. Not only do tall people have an advantage when it comes to reaching stuff on high shelves, it turns out they’re healthier […]
A Japanese minister has resigned, saying that his blood type accounted for his failings. According to Japanese belief, what might yours mean? Read more
A controversial new editorial is firing up the debate about what to do about kids who have become severely overweight, suggesting that some of them should be placed into foster care. In an opinion piece in Wednesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association, an obesity specialist and his co-author discuss […]
Germany Approves Genetic Testing For Human Embryos In a conscience vote held Thursday, the German parliament approved the use of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), a procedure in which one or two cells are extracted from a developing embryo in order to test for genetic disorders, according to Reuters reports. In […]
Couples using in vitro fertilisation (IVF) can have embryos screened to ensure their child will not develop any serious hereditary disease or disability under a milestone law passed Thursday by Germany’s parliament. Within limits, couples will be allowed to have embryos meant for IVF implantation tested. Only healthy embryos would […]