Fly genomes show natural selection and return to Africa

(Phys.org)—When ancestral humans walked out of Africa tens of thousands of years ago, Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies came along with them. Now the fruit flies, widely used for genetics research, are returning to Africa ...

Compelling evidence that brain parts evolve independently

An evolutionary biologist at the University of Manchester, working with scientists in the US, has found compelling evidence that parts of the brain can evolve independently from each other. It's hoped the findings will significantly ...

Study of giant viruses shakes up tree of life

A new study of giant viruses supports the idea that viruses are ancient living organisms and not inanimate molecular remnants run amok, as some scientists have argued. The study reshapes the universal family tree, adding ...

The evolution of the mustards' spice

The tangy taste a mustard plant develops to discourage insect predators can be the difference between life and death for the plants. A new study has used this trait and its regional variations to conquer the difficult task ...

New method helps researchers decode genomes

(Phys.org)—Although scientists sequenced the entire human genome more than 10 years ago, much work remains to understand what proteins all those genes code for.

In fly DNA, the footprint of a fly virus

(Phys.org) -- In a curious evolutionary twist, several species of a commonly studied fruit fly appear to have incorporated genetic material from a virus into their genomes, according to new research by University at Buffalo ...

Maps of Miscanthus genome offer insight into grass evolution

Miscanthus grasses are used in gardens, burned for heat and energy, and converted into liquid fuels. They also belong to a prominent grass family that includes corn, sorghum and sugarcane. Two new, independently produced ...

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