Scientists have long known that the DNA code in genes is not the only way to pass genetic traits from parents to offspring. "Epigenetic" marks—chemical modifications to DNA that don't change the DNA ...

Researchers have identified the remains of four members of a doomed 19th century expedition in the Arctic by matching DNA to the sailors’ living descendants — and solved a case of mistaken identity ...

A routine experiment with a new single-cell DNA sequencing method turned into a surprising scientific twist when researchers stumbled upon a bizarre genetic code in a microscopic pond organism.

Not all parts of our genetic code are equal, even when they appear to say the same thing. Scientists have discovered that cells can detect less efficient genetic instructions and selectively silence ...

Life on Earth may have origins from far, far away. Scientists have found a full set of life-building molecules in a nearly pristine asteroid sample, and the discovery suggests that the necessary ...

Researchers at Genentech Inc. and UC Davis have worked out the structure of the RAD51 complex, which repairs breaks in DNA. When DNA experiences a double-strand break, enzymes trim back one of the two ...

The asteroid Ryugu imaged by the Hayabusa 2 spacecraft in 2018 JAXA / Kevin M. Gill via Wikimedia Commons under CC-BY-2.0 The asteroid Ryugu, millions of miles away from Earth, might not look that ...

A new study adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests asteroid impacts played a critical role in the emergence of life on our planet. Reading time 3 minutes Early Earth was a brutally hot, ...

A new study reveals all five fundamental nucleobases – the molecular “letters” of life – have been detected in samples from the asteroid Ryugu. Asteroid particles offer a glimpse into the chemical ...

All the essential ingredients to make the DNA and RNA underpinning life on Earth have been discovered in samples collected from the asteroid Ryugu, scientists said Monday. The discovery comes after ...

All five of the main ingredients for DNA and RNA have been found in samples from the asteroid Ryugu. This strengthens the idea that asteroids may have brought the ingredients for the first living ...