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Obesity has reached epidemic levels globally, with serious health and economic consequences. While lifestyle factors play a key role, genetics also influence a person’s susceptibility to weight gain or difficulty losing weight. An emerging field called pharmac…
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Human intelligence is a complex cognitive trait that has fascinated scientists and philosophers for centuries. New research is shedding light on the neurobiological underpinnings of intelligence, from genes to cells to brain networks. Key Facts: Intelligence i…
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Phthalates, a class of chemicals used to make plastics more flexible and durable, may impact health across multiple generations. New research suggests phthalate exposure in one generation can lead to adverse effects in subsequent generations through changes in…
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Alzheimer’s disease continues to destroy minds, but new gene editing techniques like CRISPR offer hope for better understanding and treating this devastating illness. Key Facts: Alzheimer’s disease is a complex, poorly understood neurodegenerative disorder aff…
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New research reveals that the wake-promoting drug modafinil affects markers of sleep homeostasis differently depending on a person’s genetics. Key facts: Modafinil improved sustained attention in people with a certain gene variant but not others after sleep de…
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Humans and other complex organisms face a constant barrage of new harmful genetic mutations, yet somehow manage to persist and evolve despite this mutational load. New research reveals how populations can survive this onslaught through a delicate balancing act…
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Intelligence predicts health and mortality – but why? New research reveals some genes are implicated in both. Key facts: Intelligence test scores predict mortality, illnesses, and health behaviors. Higher scores indicate lower risk. Both intelligence and healt…
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General intelligence, known as g or IQ, has long been the focus of cognitive genetics research. But what about more specific cognitive abilities, the building blocks that make up IQ? A sweeping new meta-analysis of over 740,000 twins surprisingly suggests: Spe…
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A new study examining the family trees of over 400,000 people in England over the past 400 years suggests that rates of social mobility have remained remarkably static despite massive societal changes. The research implies that an individual’s social status is…
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He Jiankui’s controversial CRISPR baby experiment sparks debate on the role of moral luck in science. Key Facts: He Jiankui claimed to have used CRISPR to genetically modify human embryos, resulting in the birth of genetically edited twin girls. This was done…
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