Superagers keep youthful memories but their DNA does not explain why
Many people expect memory to fade as a normal part of aging. Yet some older adults, called SuperAgers, reach their 80s and 90s with memory abilities that match or even…
New Alzheimer’s drug repairs DNA damage and reduces brain inflammation
Researchers at King’s College London have identified a promising new strategy for tackling Alzheimer’s disease by targeting several of the disease’s earliest biological changes at the same time. Their study…
Repairing DNA damage: Scientists discover a surprising new benefit of melatonin
Melatonin supplements may help the body repair DNA damage linked to night shift work, according to a small clinical trial published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine. The findings point to…
DNA solves 250-year-old mystery of the Seychelles’ lost crocodiles
For more than 250 years, stories from early explorers described crocodiles as a common sight along the shores of the Seychelles. But after permanent settlers arrived in 1770, the island…
Mezcal worm in a bottle DNA test reveals a surprise
At the bottom of some mezcal bottles sits one of the most recognizable curiosities in the world of spirits: a pale, curled “worm” preserved in alcohol. It has helped give…
Ancient DNA reveals a farming shift that pushed a society to the brink
A new interdisciplinary study published in Nature traces more than 2,000 years of population history in Argentina’s Uspallata Valley (UV), a key southern edge of ancient Andean farming. The research…
Scientists discover ALS protein that links DNA repair to cancer and dementia
Researchers at Houston Methodist have discovered that a protein tied to neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also helps control a critical DNA repair process. This…
Ancient DNA solves 12,000-year-old mystery of rare genetic growth disorder
An international team led by the University of Vienna and Liège University Hospital Centre has uncovered genetic changes linked to a rare inherited growth disorder in two people who lived…
Scientists were wrong for decades about DNA knots
Scientists at the University of Cambridge, working with international collaborators, have identified a crucial process that shapes how DNA behaves as it moves through nanoscale pores. This process is fundamental…
New DNA analysis rewrites the story of the Beachy Head Woman
A long-standing mystery surrounding a Roman-era skeleton discovered in southern England may finally be close to an answer. Earlier studies suggested the young woman, known as the Beachy Head Woman,…