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Biology

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In the Nucleus, Genes’ Activity Might Depend on Their Location

November 6, 2018

Using a new CRISPR-based technique, researchers are examining how the position of DNA within the nucleus affects gene expression and cell function.

Scientists Learn the Ropes on Tying Molecular Knots

October 29, 2018

As chemists tie the most complicated molecular knot yet, biophysicists create a “periodic table” that describes what kinds of knots are possible.

World’s Oldest Fossils Now Appear to Be Squished Rocks

October 22, 2018

Evidence for life in 3.7-billion-year-old rocks appears to be crumbling away.

‘Broadband’ Networks of Viruses May Help Bacteria Evolve Faster

October 16, 2018

A newly discovered mechanism may enable viruses to shuttle genes between bacteria 1,000 times as often as was thought — making them a major force in those cells’ evolution.

Q&A

In the Ticking of the Embryonic Clock, She Finds Answers

October 15, 2018

Renee Reijo Pera has spent decades uncovering how the timing of embryonic development contributes to health and disease.

Forests Emerge as a Major Overlooked Climate Factor

October 9, 2018

New work at the intersection of atmospheric science and ecology is finding that forests can influence rainfall and climate from across a continent.

Three Biochemists Win Chemistry Nobel for Directing Evolution

October 3, 2018

By using the power of evolution to solve practical problems, three researchers opened new avenues to chemical discovery.

Unexpected Diversity Found in 16 New Lab Mouse Genomes

October 1, 2018

The availability of 16 new mouse genomes will help accelerate research into the genetic underpinnings of human traits and diseases.

Nobel Prize Awarded for Cancer Immunotherapy

October 1, 2018

James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for developing ways to unleash the immune system more effectively against cancers.

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