Inherited genetics directly shape how our DNA interacts with acquired mutations to drive tumor evolution, according to research published in Nature. Scientists at the University of Cambridge and the University of Edinburgh found that an individual’s genetic background dictates both cancer risk and the specific evolutionary paths tumors take, offering new direction for precision medicine … Read more
According to a study published in the journal Nature, researchers using artificial intelligence-based protein sequence redesign to stabilize enzyme starting points achieved superior outcomes in automated directed evolution, mitigating stability-activity trade-offs that traditionally constrain enzyme engineering. By combining the deep-learning model ProteinMPNN with the computational stabilization tool PROSS on botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) protease models, scientists … Read more
Directed evolution, a method for engineering enzymes by mimicking the natural process of selection, is shifting from a niche lab technique to a primary engine for industrial chemistry. According to Caltech’s Frances Arnold, who received the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this work, the future of the field lies in integrating machine learning with … Read more
Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum, in collaboration with the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW, have identified that the hepatitis E virus (HEV) undergoes dynamic genetic evolution during the initial weeks of infection. According to a study published in mBio on July 10, 2026, scientists observed recurring mutations in the viral polymerase gene, even within patients … Read more
Paleontologists have identified a new fossil jaw from southern Brazil that clarifies the evolutionary position of Cargninia enigmatica, a 225-million-year-old reptile. According to a study published in The Anatomical Record by Dr. Lísie Vitória Soares Damke and colleagues, the specimen confirms that this tiny creature was a non-lepidosaur lepidosauromorph, representing a branch that diverged before … Read more
Biologists at the University of Minnesota have successfully engineered a synthetic cell, dubbed “SpudCell,” capable of performing core biological life cycles including nutrient intake, growth, DNA replication, and division. According to a preprint posted July 2 on bioRxiv, the cell is constructed entirely from non-living chemical components and functions with a 90,000-base-pair genome, significantly smaller … Read more
Recent biomechanical modeling reveals that the Smilodon fatalis, the iconic Ice Age saber-toothed cat, relied on massive forelimb strength rather than jaw power to kill prey. According to a 2007 study published in PNAS, the predator’s bite force was roughly one-third that of a similarly sized lion, functioning more like a surgical instrument than a … Read more
New research indicates that the rhythmic structure of laughter in great apes and humans shares a common evolutionary origin, suggesting that the building blocks of human vocal communication were present in our ancestors millions of years ago. A study analyzing vocalizations from bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and humans found that the tempo and rhythmic patterns … Read more
Tickling a chimpanzee, a gorilla and a human child causes similar rhythms of laughter, suggesting that the roots of human laughter date back at least 15 million years to a common ancestor. A study published in Communications Biology on 25 June indicates that both humans and apes maintain consistent, evenly spaced intervals between laughing sounds … Read more
Researchers have identified a “megacluster” of genes in Streptomyces soil bacteria that produces a coordinated suite of four antibiotics and one protein, all targeting the production of vitamin B7. Published in Nature, the study suggests this evolutionary mechanism could provide a new template for creating antibiotics that are significantly harder for multidrug-resistant pathogens to bypass. … Read more