A woman named Karyn Paringatai noticed a disturbing trend in her relatives: many died at a young age. When she traced their medical records, she found that a rare stomach cancer, known as diffuse gastric cancer, was common among Māori families like hers. This type of cancer can develop without
Red hair might seem rare, but its genes are actually becoming stronger than ever. A huge study from Harvard looked at DNA from over 16, 000 people who lived across Europe and parts of the Middle East over the last 18, 000 years. The research team spent seven years gathering and comparing this geneti
A rare genetic flaw might be behind sudden neck artery spasms that can trigger strokes in younger people. These spasms, called cervical internal carotid artery vasospasms, cut off blood flow to the brain without warning. Doctors see this mostly in patients under 50, where one moment they’re fine, th
Plants close their tiny pores, called stomata, to keep water from escaping during dry spells. Even then, a small amount of moisture still drips out – this is called minimum conductance or gmin. Scientists measured gmin in 101 different plant species, ranging from ferns to flowering trees, and found
Research shows that genes and early life events can set the stage for depression in middle age and beyond. A study found that people with a family history of mood disorders face higher risks if they also grew up with parents battling addiction. The findings suggest that childhood struggles don’t jus
The 70‑kilogram proteins that keep cells tidy are found almost everywhere, from simple bacteria to complex eukaryotes. In the cell’s busy interior they act like tiny engines, using energy from ATP to fold and move other proteins. In bacteria the main player is called DnaK, which works hand‑in‑han
Patients with os odontoideum, a congenital neck anomaly, show a surprisingly high load of genetic changes. Researchers counted these alterations across the entire genome and found that affected individuals carry more mutations than people with typical neck anatomy. The study examined the DNA f
Aging often brings slow but steady inflammation, even without obvious sickness. Scientists call this low-grade, long-term process InflammAging (IA). It quietly weakens tissues and slows repair, making the body more vulnerable to diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart problems, and diabetes. For years, exp
Cholera germs have a smart trick to protect themselves. They carry a built-in gene storage system that holds hundreds of spare parts, mostly unused. A small portion of these genes help fight off viruses. Normally, stressed bacteria shuffle these genes around to pick the best ones. But cholera germs
Scientists are starting to see a surprising link between autism, usually thought of as a childhood condition, and Alzheimer’s, a disease that shows up in old age. At first glance the two seem unrelated: one is about early brain wiring, the other about later brain decay. But new studies suggest
