mutation
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Lots of People May Carry Life-Shortening Genetic Variants
Many people are carrying potentially harmful genes, research out this week has found. Scientists analysed the genes of people living in Iceland and found that one in 25 people appear to have genetic variations linked to a shorter lifespan. The most dangerous variants were those tied to cancer. In 2021, the American College of Medical…
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A Person Who Lived 800 Years Ago Is the Origin of a Modern Seizure Disorder, Scientists Say
Scientists in Australia believe that they’ve discovered the centuries-old origins of a rare form of childhood epilepsy caused by a genetic mutation: a single common ancestor who lived in Britain roughly 800 years ago. The find is especially notable because hereditary conditions of this kind typically don’t survive for so long in the population.
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These Mutant Rabbits Walk on Two Legs, and Geneticists Now Know Why
An entire lineage of French rabbits has been doing handstands for nearly a century. The acrobatic bunnies are not so much performing a stunt as they are a product of stunted genetics, according to a paper published this week in PLOS Genetics.
