How molecular clocks are refining human evolution's timeline

DNA holds the story of our ancestry – how we're related to the familiar faces at family reunions as well as more ancient affairs: how we're related to our closest nonhuman relatives, chimpanzees; how Homo sapiens mated ...

Cells starved of oxygen and nutrients condense their DNA

Scientists at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) have been able to see, for the first time, the dramatic changes that occur in the DNA of cells that are starved of oxygen and nutrients. This starved state is typical ...

Scientists identify molecular mechanism behind early flowering

Plants adapt their flowering time to the temperature in their surroundings. But what exactly triggers their flowering at the molecular level? Can this factor switch flowering on or off and thus respond to changes in the climate? ...

Explainer: What is the molecular clock?

In the 150 years since Charles Darwin recognised the kinship of all life, scientists have worked to fulfil his dream of a complete Tree of Life. Today, the methods used to trace the evolutionary branches back through time ...

Very berry study aims to improve wine quality

A gene expression study of grapevine berries grown in different Italian vineyards has highlighted genes that help buffer the plants against environmental change and may explain the different quality performances of grapevine ...

A surprising new function for small RNAs in evolution

An international research team in including Christian Schlötterer and Alistair McGregor of the Vetmeduni Vienna has discovered a completely new mechanism by which evolution can change the appearance of an organism. The ...

Australian blue whales now call Antarctica home

(Phys.org)—New findings suggest that the ecology of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) – the largest living animal – has recently changed due to human activities. A team lead by researchers at Macquarie University ...

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