How do cells know what they should become as the body develops? Biological development depends crucially on spatial patterns: the lines that eventually give rise to segments, organs, or markings like ...

Scientists found that cells across animals, plants, fungi and many single-celled organisms use remarkably similar ancient mechanisms to activate genes, suggesting these rules may date back about 2 ...

For millennia, evolution has intrigued many great thinkers, prompting questions about how new traits emerge as species adapt over time. Then, attention shifted to natural selection and the inheritance ...

One of the most important milestones in the early life of an organism is when the embryo breaks symmetry and arranges itself ...

The evolution of new genes is not the only way for a species to change. The loss of genes may also lead to adaptations that help species survive, but this idea has not been well studied. Now, ...

Researchers say study helps understand how genomes evolved, and could have implications for medical research into diseases involving faulty gene regulation.

The human brain's remarkably prolonged development is unique among mammals and is thought to contribute to our advanced learning abilities. Disruptions in this process may explain certain ...

A study led by Dr. LI Chuanyun from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has revealed how recently evolved human-specific genes—critical for ...

Evolution of the mouse [Beta] globin complex locus / M.H. Edgell, S.C. Hardies, B. Brown, C. Voliva, A. Hill, S. Phillips, M. Comer, F. Burton, S. Weaver, and C.A ...

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be the result of millions of years of evolution. Rapid neuronal evolution in humans is likely ASD’s genetic cause, new research suggests. Though autism can cause ...