Latest Population genetics Stories

Brett Smith for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online A new study in the early online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) from geneticists at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany could lead to a rewriting of the cultural history of Australia. The researchers say that a recent genetic analysis shows evidence of a substantial flow of genes running between the Indian and Australian populations about 4,000 years ago. "Interestingly, this...

When Charles Darwin first sketched how species evolved by natural selection, he drew what looked like a tree. The diagram started at a central point with a common ancestor, then the lines spread apart as organisms evolved and separated into distinct species. In the 175 years since, scientists have come to agree that Darwin’s original drawing is a bit simplistic, given that multiple species mix and interbreed in ways he didn’t consider possible (though you can’t fault the guy for not...

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- 23andMe, the leading personal genetics company, today announced the availability of Ancestry Composition, a new feature that provides state-of-the-art geographic illustration of an individual's ancestral origins. Using 22 reference populations, the feature indicates what percent of a person's ancestry comes from various regions around the world. The analysis includes DNA inherited from all ancestors on both sides of the family....

Physicists and biologists apply Big Data statistical tools to study marine plant evolution A new method that could give a deeper insight into evolutional biology by tracing directionality in gene migration has just appeared in EPJ Data Science. Paolo Masucci from the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, at University College of London, UK, and colleagues identified the segregation of genes that a marine plant underwent during its evolution. They found that the exchange of genes, or gene...

[Watch NatGeo Video: Geno 2.0: The Greatest Journey Ever Told] Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online National Geographic unveiled the next phase of its Genographic Project, which aims to use DNA to map the history of human migration. The goal for the Genographic Project is to shine new light on humanity's past, offering up clues about humankind's journey across the planet over the past 60,000 years. "Our first phase drew participation from more than 500,000...

April Flowers for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online Northern European populations - including British, Scandinavians, French and some Eastern Europeans - descend from a mixture of two very different ancestral populations a new study finds, and one of these populations is related to Native Americans. The results of this study, published in the November issue of the Genetics Society of America's journal GENETICS, help fill in the gaps in scientific understanding of both Native American...

Lawrence LeBlond for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online In a world that’s more than 4 billion years old, humans have only existed for a fraction of that—roughly 200,000 years. In those 200,000 years of existence, not a lot is known about genetic mutation until we close in on the last 5 to 10 thousand years. It is within that time that researchers believe nearly 75 percent of gene mutations have occurred, making our DNA distinctly different now than it was way back when. This...

Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online A research lab has identified the genetic markers for an endangered species of elephant, showing the animals have very low genetic variability. The study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, opens up new avenues for the conservation of other endangered species. Researchers took advantage of DNA sequencing methodology in order to try and change the odds when looking for diversity. The Bornean elephant is a unique subspecies...

April Flowers for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online Ethiopian wolf populations are genetically fragmenting, scientists say. This is cause for concern because the Ethiopian wolf is the world's rarest canine and fewer than 500 of Africa's only wolf species remain in the wild, according to BBC News. A 12-year study of the wolves, published in the journal Animal Conservation, reveals that there is little genetic flow between the small remaining populations in the Ethiopian highlands,...

Brett Smith for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online When populations of animals are under threat, a major concern surrounding their potential for survival is the genetic diversity within the population. A high level of genetic diversity makes for a resilient population, while low genetic diversity could be a red flag for conservationists. In a new study, an international team of researchers has investigated the genetic diversity of the koala population and found through both historical...