DNA

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New Prenatal Gene Test Proves Safer

Checks mom's blood for defects without miscarriage risk

(Newser) - Scientists have developed a prenatal test for genetic defects much safer than the ones currently in use, reports the San Jose Mercury News. Methods like amniocentesis can spot chromosomal disorders like Down Syndrome, but involve inserting a needle into the uterus, which carries close to a 1-in-200 risk of miscarriage....

HIV/AIDS May Be 100 Years Old
 HIV/AIDS May Be 100 Years Old 
Oct 2, 2008 3:03 AM CDT

HIV/AIDS May Be 100 Years Old

Evidence of old strain discovered in Congo

(Newser) - The HIV/AIDS epidemic exploded in the 1980s, but new research shows HIV was plaguing the human population in Africa for a century before that. Old collections of human tissue samples from the Congo have produced evidence of old strains of HIV that may have emerged in 1908, reports Nature.

Tech Helps Prints Tell More of the Story

Snack, drug habits can be traced on bullets, similar surfaces

(Newser) - Advances in fingerprint technology are making the century-old forensic tool even more vital, the Boston Globe reports. Scientists have developed methods that can not only detect traces of food or chemicals in prints, but also single out targets at a confused crime scene. “We're using fingerprints to learn more...

Colbert Shooting DNA Into Space

Comedian's digitized genetic code headed to space station

(Newser) - You probably won’t live forever, but a part of Stephen Colbert hopes to. The comedian’s digitized DNA will travel to the International Space Station in October as part of an “Immortality Drive” DNA time capsule, reports AP. The DNA will be delivered by video-game designer Richard Garriott,...

Pesky Beetle Could Hold Cancer Key
Pesky Beetle Could Hold Cancer Key
Sep 1, 2008 1:03 PM CDT

Pesky Beetle Could Hold Cancer Key

Scientists crack code of enzyme that helps cells multiply limitlessly

(Newser) - An insect that’s a scourge in Southern kitchens could help scientists develop drugs to treat human cancer, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. In studying  the red flour beetle, scientists were able to decode an enzyme called telomerase, which triggers a cell's ability to multiply timelessly, playing an active role in...

NY Sushi Sleuths Uncover Fishy Tricks

Simple DNA test reveals fish sellers' bait-and-switch

(Newser) - Two New York City high school students used DNA testing to uncover a bait-and-switch scam in local restaurants and fish markets, the New York Times reports. Fish being sold as prized white tuna turned out to be the much more common—and cheaper—Mozambique tilapia, while red snapper proved to...

'Bigfoot' DNA Actually Human, Opossum

Sasquatch expert blames contamination, will perform autopsy

(Newser) - DNA from an alleged Bigfoot carcass is actually part human, part opossum, a scientist said today. A University of Minnesota expert debunked the DNA at a Palo Alto, Calif. press conference before the two men who allegedly found the corpse—and who sell Bigfoot merchandise. The head of a group...

Missing DNA Sheds Light on Roots of Schizophrenia

Scientists disocover 3 genetic hot spots

(Newser) - Missing chunks of DNA increase a child's chance of developing schizophrenia by up to 10 times, say to two major international studies. Scientists are calling the data from more than 3,000 schizophrenia patients a huge step toward finding the genetic source of the disease, which could ultimately help doctors...

Ballooning Priest's Body Found
 Ballooning Priest's Body Found
Jul 30, 2008 3:30 AM CDT

Ballooning Priest's Body Found

Charity stunt went tragically wrong

(Newser) - DNA tests have confirmed that a body found earlier this month off the coast of Brazil is that of a Catholic priest who tried to set a flight record strapped to 1,000 helium balloons. Father Adelir Antonio de Carli, 41, set off  from the Brazilian port of Paranagua in...

'Yeti' Hairs Sent for DNA Tests
 'Yeti' Hairs Sent for DNA Tests
Jul 26, 2008 8:12 AM CDT

'Yeti' Hairs Sent for DNA Tests

Hairs found in jungle may belong to unknown species of primate

(Newser) - Scientists hope DNA tests will clear up the mystery of hairs claimed to be from a "yeti," or giant ape-like creature, the BBC reports. The hairs, found in dense jungle in India, are not from any known animal in the area. They also bear a strong resemblance to...

For TB Clues, Researchers Turn to Bones

Key to disease's evolution may lie in 6,000-year-old DNA

(Newser) - Scientists are analyzing bones found in the ancient city of Jericho, in what's now the West Bank, for clues to fighting tuberculosis. The German, Israeli, and Palestinian researchers hope the 6,000-year-old DNA they're studying will reveal how the disease evolves and how to combat it.

DNA Tests Yield Few Clues on Canada Victims

But authorities say two of the floating feet belonged to one man

(Newser) - Canadian authorities have determined that two of the five feet found floating on British Columbia's coastline came from the same man. The only other information about the mystery victim are his shoe size (11) and brand preference (Nike), and fact that he must have been alive in early 2003 when...

Study Yields More Clues About Autism

Scientists find genes needed for learning stuck in the off position

(Newser) - Scientists have found six new genes linked to autism, inching closer to a fuller understanding of the disorder and how to treat it, the AP reports. The genes in question are necessary for learning but are essentially stuck in the "off" position. The finding lends credence to the philosophy...

Men Less Fertile After 40: Study

Biological clock ticking as men age

(Newser) - Men apparently have a biological fertility clock that ticks just as inexorably as that of women, reports Agence France Presse. New research reveals that a man's ability to impregnate a partner drops significantly once he reaches 40, regardless of his sperm count. It's the first clinical proof that a man's...

Study Rewrites Birds' Family Tree

DNA research reveals new information about bird relations

(Newser) - A five-year study of bird DNA is turning the world of ornithology on its head. The study revealed such drastic new information about the evolution of birds that dozens will need new scientific names, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Notable finds: Falcons are not related to hawks or eagles; hummingbirds—colorful...

DNA Scientists Finally Clear Gender Barrier

After 5 male subjects, female genome sequenced for first time

(Newser) - Dutch scientists have sequenced the a female human genome, reports the AP. The first human genome was sequenced in 2001; since then, scientists have mapped four male individuals' DNA. "It was time, after sequencing four males, to balance the genders a bit," says the lead researcher.

Sudoku Champ Eyes Tougher Puzzles

Young scientist hopes to make his name in DNA research

(Newser) - Beating all comers—for the second year in a row—at the world's top sudoku tournament is nothing to scoff at, but champ Thomas Snyder has loftier goals, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The 28-year-old Stanford scientist is hoping he can solve complex DNA puzzles instead: "I hope...

Missing Genes Can Thwart Doping Tests

Athletes' DNA triggers false negative tests for testosterone

(Newser) - Testosterone injections are among the most common performance-enhancing drugs detected in athlete screenings, but some lucky competitors can take them without fear of exposure, the New York Times reports. Of 55 men given testosterone in a recent study, 17 came up clean on a drug test because they're missing the...

DNA Confirms It: Man Fathered Own Grandkids

Austrian 'horror dad' appears in court, will remain in custody

(Newser) - DNA testing has confirmed the bizarre tale of Josef Fritzl, who confessed to imprisoning his now-42-year-old daughter Elisabeth in his basement for 24 years and fathering seven children by her. The test confirms the parentage of all six surviving kids —one twin died shortly after childbirth, CNN reports. The...

Senate Passes Bill Banning Genetic Bias

Law, approved 95-0, would protect people with hereditary risks

(Newser) - The Senate unanimously approved a bill today banning discrimination by employers and health insurers based on the results of genetic tests, the Los Angeles Times reports. Senators hope the measure will encourage testing for those who have abstained out of fear of professional or financial repercussions. The bill is expected...

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