Science Archives

Environment and Genetics: Understanding the Connection

What roles do genes play in behavior? Is your personality largely the product of your genes or your environment? Our genes contain the blueprints for our bodies. Therefore, in a very real sense, our genes determine who we are. Each of us has crucial elements of who we’ll become encoded in our DNA. However, genes only tell a small part of the story because your environment can influence how genes are expressed. Keep reading to learn about the interplay between environment and genetics.

The Human Genome Project: Sequencing the Human Genome

Why did scientists embark on the 13-year-long undertaking of sequencing the human genome? How has the Human Genome Project advanced our knowledge of genetics? Thanks to the Human Genome Project, we know where every gene is, what it codes for, and how. Despite this knowledge, however, we still understand very little about how all these different genes coordinate and cooperate to build and maintain our bodies. Here’s how the Human Genome Project paved the way for genetics research.

The Applications of DNA Sequencing in Medicine

What is DNA sequencing? What is DNA sequencing used for in modern medicine? DNA sequencing makes it possible to extract the genetic information that is carried within a DNA molecule or even a whole genome. Nowadays, gene sequencing technology allows doctors and researchers to find and diagnose genetic diseases. Keep reading to learn about the current applications of DNA sequencing in medicine.

How Does DNA Store Genetic Information?

The 2 Primary Biological Causes of Depression

How does DNA store genetic information? How do genes direct the production of proteins that make up the structure of our bodies? DNA contains instructions for building proteins that make up just about everything in your body. Specifically, genetic information in DNA is stored as a code made up of four base chemicals called nucleotides. Here’s how DNA molecules encode biological information.

Siddhartha Mukherjee: How Was DNA Discovered?

How was DNA discovered? Why did scientists initially dismiss DNA as a carrier of genetic information? Scientists discovered nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) in the 1920s, but they decided that nucleic acids were much too simple to carry genetic information. Therefore, they dismissed those molecules in favor of studying proteins, which were much more complex. Keep reading to learn how DNA was discovered.

Why Science Says You’re Responsible for Your Own Feelings

Are you responsible for your own feelings? What is the scientific explanation of biology and emotions? Neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett created the new “theory of constructed emotions” after an in-depth examination of past psychological experiments. Barrett’s findings reveal that you are responsible for your own feelings because emotions are not innate—they’re constructed by you. Read on to learn why you are responsible for your own feelings, according to Barrett’s theory of emotions.

The Innate Emotions Illusion: You’re Not Born With Them

What does psychological research say about innate emotions? Why are innate emotions now considered to be an outdated concept? Where do your emotions actually come from? In her book, How Emotions Are Made, Lisa Feldman Barrett analyzes and critiques outdated concepts of human emotions, developing a new theory based on neuroscience and her background in psychology. Barrett’s research shows that innate emotions are an outdated illusion of past experiments. Read on to learn why innate emotions don’t exist and where emotions actually come from, according to Barrett.

Biology 101: How Do Genes Code for Proteins?

How do genes code for proteins? What is the process by which DNA directs the synthesis of proteins? The genes in DNA contain instructions for building the proteins which carry out all the functions necessary for life. The process in which DNA creates functional proteins is intricate and involves many different enzymes (proteins that aid chemical reactions). Here’s how genes create proteins, explained in simple terms.

How Do Genes Work? Biologist Explains

How do genes work? How are genetic instructions stored in the DNA? DNA encodes the genetic information that determines how an organism will develop. From the color of your eyes to your temperament, genes carry information that makes you who you are. So, in a very real sense, your genes contain the blueprints for your body and, to some extent, your personality. Here’s how genes work, explained in simple terms.

Importance of a Sustainable Forest Management Strategy

Why should we have sustainable forest management strategies? What do we need to do to have healthy forests? Suzanne Simard’s research in Finding the Mother Tree has led to a shift in thinking about ecological relationships. She argues that in we need to create a sustainable forest management strategy to ensure the long-term health of trees. Continue reading to learn why we need to change how we take care of forests.