Nov 19th, 2008 · The woolly mammoth is the first extinct mammal to have its DNA sequence deciphered. Scientists used hair that was found frozen in the Siberian permafrost, some for tens of thousands of years.
Nov 19th, 2008 · DNA tests on mummies raise new questions about China's Uighurs, many of whom claim western heritage. China insists the Uighurs have East Asian heritage.
Nov 14th, 2008 · New DNA test show that one of China's last emperors died of arsenic poisoning. Guangxu Emperor died 100 years ago today. The cold case hasn't been completely solved. It's still not known for sure who poisoned him.
Nov 7th, 2008 · A genetics team sequenced DNA from both cancerous and normal tissue from a patient with the white blood cell cancer. The researchers then compared the two sequences to identify 10 mutated genes that appear to be associated with the formation of the cancer.
Oct 31st, 2008 · Oetzi, a mummified man found frozen in the Italian Alps after 5,300 years, has no living genetic descendants among modern humans. The discovery came after researchers sequenced Oetzi's entire genome and compared it with human DNA.
Oct 24th, 2008 · The Personal Genome Project is attempting to find 100,000 volunteers to publish their entire genetic makeup — including their physical traits — online. So far, ten individuals have chosen to share their DNA sequences, medical records, and other personal information with the research community and the general public.
Sep 22nd, 2008 · Thomas Jefferson's biography got significantly more complicated when DNA evidence linked him to the descendants of Sally Hemings, a slave on his estate. Annette Gordon-Reed talks about her new book, The Hemingses of Monticello an exhaustive study of Sally Hemings' life and role within the Jefferson household.
Sep 17th, 2008 · Stepping on dog droppings is one of the more irritating aspects of life. In Israel, a suburb of Tel Aviv is testing a new way to determine who isn't scooping the poop. The local vet is collecting samples of doggie DNA, using a mouth swab from the pets. If droppings end up on someone's shoe, the city can check it against its database and fine the owner. Owners contribute the DNA sample voluntarily, but the city is considering making it the law.