Category Archives: Evolution
Nature versus nurture: how modern science is rewriting it
Authors: Kevin Mitchell is associate professor of genetics and neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, and Uta Frith is profesor emeritus of cognitive development, UCL
The question of whether it is genes or environment that largely shapes human behaviour has been debated […]
Did we settle down for beer?
You have probably heard before about the origin of the word salary. Indeed, it comes from the allowance that Roman soldiers received to purchase salt. The trace left on the language tells about the importance it had. There is no […]
Haplotypes, mitochondria and autism
An allele is each of the alternative forms that the same gene can have. The alleles differ in their DNA sequence and can manifest in different results after expressing that gene, such as differences in the color of the eyes […]
25 genes to make humans long-lived primates
Recent research by a collaborative research network including researchers in Spain and the UK has found 25 genes that seem to be responsible for making humans the primates with the longest life spans (sometimes going up to 120 years). […]
Early research on the origin of life. The Miller experiment.
“It is often said that all the conditions for the first production of a living organism are now present, which could ever have been present.— But if (& oh what a big if) we could conceive in some warm […]
A new theory on the early building blocks of life
From nucleic acids to proteins and sugar chains, all life is made up of polymers, large molecules made up of sequences of small units called monomers. However, how these macromolecules first appeared on the surface of Earth is still controversial. […]
Between science and fascination: An interview with Dr. Nancy Segal
How does the Zika virus cause microcephaly? Why do some people develop schizophrenia or mental disease while others don’t? Is our sexual orientation hardwired in our genes? As seemingly unrelated as these questions might sound, they can all be addressed […]
Where have all the megasharks gone?
We’ve known for decades there was a time when mammoths, saber-tooth cats, and other big mammals walked the Earth like it was no big deal. We also know that at some point of the Ice Age, a mass extinction made […]
Blonds and Blondes
Pigmentations are among the clearest examples of phenotypic variation in many species. Hair, skin and eye colors are highly heritable and visible traits in humans. Blond hair is most commonly found in Northern and Central Europeans and their descendants. Nowadays […]
How universal is music language?
Music is usually considered as a universal art form. It is found in virtually all human cultures and its use is associated with many different human tasks, from the most sacred to the most profane. Its elusive nature has haunted […]