Genetic Science

Genetics is the study of cellular science. It furthers our understanding of how DNA and the genetic make-up of species and can lead to cures for diseases and shape our future.

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It's one of those words that might remind you of certain gender-bending musicians from the '80s, but what does it mean today?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Countless superhero movies have been released in the past decade, playing to our fascination with people with higher than usual abilities. But what if people really could have superpowers like those portrayed in the movies, thanks to the inheritance of so-called super genes?

By Diana Brown & Sascha Bos

At least not in nature. Scientists have discovered the two gene families that play key roles in making fruits and vegetables either round or long. Could a square fruit be on the horizon?

By Dave Roos

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Does everyone have a double out there somewhere that they don't know about? Science says the odds are pretty slim.

By Alia Hoyt

It's easy to equate Caucasian with white. But the word Caucasian touches on issues deeper than skin color. HowStuffWorks looks at its true meaning.

By John Donovan & Austin Henderson

What happens when twins are reunited decades later? And how in the world can you explain separated twins giving their firstborn son or their family dog the same exact name?

By John Donovan

Neanderthals and humans coexisted for thousands of years, but the relationship between the two species was always a bit dysfunctional. Could we get reacquainted with our evolutionary peers?

By Robert Lamb

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Wouldn't it be nice to grow crops that grew 50 percent more than current varieties? How about a strain of vegetables that were safe from insects without using pesticides? Agricultural biotechnology can do that.

By Jonathan Strickland & Austin Henderson

You yearn to peer out the window of an SUV and watch a Tyrannosaurus rex lumber into a clearing. Your home movie of said event would be a YouTube sensation. Could it ever happen?

By Robert Lamb

Nearly every living cell is made of DNA, and every chromosome contains exactly one molecule of DNA. But not all cells are made of the same number of chromosomes.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Humans are a diverse lot - which is good! The question of ethnicity vs. race vs. nationality is a source of much debate, even among experts.

By John Donovan

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Cell division can be confusing, but it's not as difficult if you pretend chromosomes are sentences.

By Jesslyn Shields & Austin Henderson

You probably feel like you have very little in common with that banana lying on your kitchen counter. But science says you do! So, how is this possible? And is that stat accurate? We talk to the scientist who did the research.

By Alia Hoyt

We love stories of twins who can sense each other's pain or know what the other is thinking. But is there really such a thing as "twinspiration" or is just coincidence?

By Karen Kirkpatrick

A Punnett square helps predict the possible ways an organism will express certain genetic traits, such as purple flowers or blue eyes.

By Jesslyn Shields

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The Atacama skeleton has sparked intense controversy and, based on its appearance, speculation of alien origin since its discovery in 2003. But what is the real story behind this little skeleton?

By Mark Mancini