genetics

New York City officials have identified a victim of the September 11, 2001 attacks using a first-of-its-kind genetic genealogy technique, marking a new milestone in the long-running effort to name all of the nearly 3,000 people killed at the World Trade Center. More than two decades on, forensic teams continue matching remains to families using advancing DNA methods.

A new study shows that loss of parts of the Y chromosome, a change seen in many men as they age, can actively drive cancer development. Researchers report the missing genetic material affects tumour growth in men, offering a possible explanation for why certain cancers behave differently between the sexes.

Researchers led by Dr. Jona Kayser at MPZPM report that physical processes in dense cell populations strongly influence the best timing of treatment cycles, with implications for both cancer therapy and antibiotics. Treatment resistance remains one of the central challenges in medicine, and the findings suggest that timing could be adjusted based on how tightly cells pack together rather than on biology alone. The work points to new ways of scheduling therapies to delay or avoid resistance.

The German farmers' association Bauernstimme has filed a direct action at the European Court against the EU's new genetic engineering regulation (NGT), which loosens rules for certain gene-edited crops. The group argues the law undermines labelling and traceability requirements for agriculture. The case adds to growing resistance from farming and environmental organisations to the EU's deregulation of new genomic techniques.

Indian fathers hoping to become parents through surrogacy are travelling overseas after a ban on commercial surrogacy at home, the Mumbai Mirror reports. The law restricts the practice to married Indian couples using their own genetic material, leaving single men and others with no domestic option and pushing them toward countries where surrogacy remains legal.

The molluscum contagiosum virus, a common skin infection, apparently retains a gene it took from humans at some point in its evolutionary history. The New York Times reports on the finding, which highlights how viruses can acquire and keep host genes, offering insight into virus evolution and how the pathogen manipulates human skin cells. Scientists say such stolen genes may help explain why the virus persists so effectively in people.

A new DNA analysis of medieval burial sites has revealed that graves long assumed to contain family members were not related by blood. The findings, reported by ScienceDaily, challenge archaeologists' traditional reliance on grave arrangement and proximity to interpret kinship in medieval cemeteries, suggesting burial practices reflected social bonds or community ties rather than family lineage.

Researchers report the discovery of a human 'jumping gene' — a transposable element able to move around the genome — found embedded inside a virus. The finding suggests genetic material can move between humans and viruses, shedding light on how genomes evolve and how viruses may acquire host genes. Scientists say it could inform understanding of gene transfer and viral evolution.

Scientists analysing the evolutionary history of 163 ant genomes, spanning most existing subfamilies, found that periods of rapid species diversification over the past 100 million years coincided with higher activity of transposable elements — DNA sequences capable of moving around the genome. The findings suggest these mobile genetic elements played a significant role in driving the evolutionary success and variety of ants.

Improved DNA detection methods are said to be creating a harder scientific question rather than simply solving existing ones. The claim, reported by European Scientist, suggests that as technology identifies smaller traces of genetic material, researchers face new challenges interpreting what those findings mean. Details of the specific methods or questions involved were not provided.

Conservation scientist Katie Heineman of the Frozen Zoo spoke about efforts to preserve wildlife DNA for the future. The Frozen Zoo stores genetic samples from endangered and extinct species, aiming to safeguard biodiversity and support research and potential de-extinction work. The interview covers how these collections are maintained and why genetic archives are becoming central to conservation.

A landmark genetic study suggests Earth's earliest bats did not originate in the region long assumed, prompting talk of a new 'garden of Eden' for the species' evolutionary origins. Researchers say DNA evidence rewrites the map of where bats first emerged, with implications for understanding mammal evolution. Science writers and animal enthusiasts are sharing the finding widely, calling it a surprising rethink of bat history.

Researchers report that molluscum contagiosum, a common skin virus, appears to have taken a gene from its human hosts and kept it, an example of gene transfer from host to virus that is rarely documented. The finding suggests viruses and their hosts exchange genetic material more often than assumed, and scientists are discussing what this reveals about viral evolution and long-term coexistence with humans.

Scientists report that altering a single gene in a nematode worm caused the tiny organisms to live twice as long as normal. The finding, circulating among science enthusiasts online, highlights how powerful individual genes can be in controlling the aging process. While the result is in worms rather than humans, research of this kind is closely watched for what it may reveal about the biology of aging and potential longevity interventions.

Scientists report the discovery of a gene variant dating back roughly 47,000 years that may influence muscle development in modern humans. The finding suggests an ancient genetic inheritance could partly shape muscle traits today, and researchers describe themselves as surprised by the results, sparking wide interest in human evolutionary biology.

Researchers have found that bacteria living on the gills of coral reef fish carry genes for chemosynthesis, the process of making food from chemicals rather than sunlight. DNA analysis revealed these genetic pathways in the gill microbes, suggesting reef fish may host bacteria capable of producing nutrients in ways previously associated with deep-sea ecosystems rather than sunlit reefs.

The 2011 tsunami in Japan is reported to have led to the creation of hybrid fish, but these hybrids almost completely disappeared in the years afterwards. The claim highlights how the disaster's environmental disruption briefly allowed crossbreeding between fish populations before natural conditions closed that window again.

New research on swamp cypress suggests that very old trees do not act as 'genetic treasure chests' preserving unique diversity lost from younger generations. The study challenges a common conservation assumption that protecting ancient individual trees safeguards irreplaceable gene pools. Findings imply conservation strategies may need to focus less on old specimens and more on overall population genetics.

Two Swedish murder cold cases, both involving a killer attacking a random stranger just once, have been solved using genealogical DNA analysis. These cases are considered among the hardest to crack, since the perpetrator had no link to the victim and left no further criminal trail. The use of genetic genealogy to identify offenders is drawing attention as a breakthrough investigative tool in Sweden.

A new finding reports that overlapping genes—genes whose sequences physically overlap on the genome—are subject to different evolutionary pressures depending on the organism. In bacteria, overlapping genes appear to evolve under one set of constraints, while in eukaryotes, or complex life, they follow another. The results suggest that genome architecture shapes how evolution acts on shared genetic material, challenging the assumption that overlapping genes obey universal rules across all living things.

Researchers have documented recurrent deletions and regulatory disruption of the Y chromosome across cancer types, according to a study published in Nature. The work suggests loss or alteration of Y chromosome genetic material may play a functional role in tumour development rather than being incidental, opening questions about how such changes influence cancer biology and potential sex-based differences in disease.

New research on cuckoos indicates that differences in host preferences alone are not enough to divide the wide-ranging species into separate ones. Genetic analysis suggests the birds' wandering behaviour keeps populations mixing, preventing host-based splits from hardening into distinct species, according to coverage by Bioengineer.

In Minnesota, volunteers known as citizen sleuths are collecting environmental DNA samples from lakes to detect the presence of zebra mussels, an invasive species that damages ecosystems and water infrastructure. By analyzing genetic traces in the water, they can spot infestations earlier than traditional visual checks, helping officials respond faster to protect the state's lakes.