An international team of researchers, led by Johannes Krause and Choongwon Jeong from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History (Jena, Germany), and Abdeljalil Bouzouggar from the Institut National des Sciences de l’Archéologie et du Patrimoine (Rabat, Morocco) and including scientists from the Mohammed V University in Rabat, the Natural History Museum in London, University of Oxford, Université Mohammed Premier in Oujda and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, have sequenced DNA from individuals from Morocco dating to approximately 15,000 years ago, as published in Science. Continue reading “Scientists discover genomic ancestry of Stone Age North Africans from Morocco”
Anglo-Saxons in Britain; what Genetics has shown so far
According to historical accounts and archaeology, the Anglo-Saxons migrated to Britain from continental Europe from the 5th Century AD. They brought with them a new culture, social structure and language. Continue reading “Anglo-Saxons in Britain; what Genetics has shown so far”
Happy in marriage? Genetics may play a role
People fall in love for many reasons — similar interests, physical attraction, and shared values among them. But if they marry and stay together, their long-term happiness may depend on their individual genes or those of their spouse, says a new study led by Yale School of Public Health researchers. Continue reading “Happy in marriage? Genetics may play a role”
Genetic factors influence human brain expansion
An analysis published in JNeurosci of brain scans from more than 600 children and adolescents reveals genetically-mediated associations between the size of evolutionarily novel brain regions and intelligence test scores. Genetic influences on the brain follow the patterns of evolutionary expansion of the human brain relative to nonhuman primates. Continue reading “Genetic factors influence human brain expansion”
Two ancient populations that diverged later ‘reconverged’ in the Americas
A new genetic study of ancient individuals in the Americas and their contemporary descendants finds that two populations that diverged from one another 18,000 to 15,000 years ago remained apart for millennia before mixing again. This historic “reconvergence” occurred before or during their expansion to the southern continent. Continue reading “Two ancient populations that diverged later ‘reconverged’ in the Americas”
Some personal beliefs and morals may stem from genetics
A new baby is often welcomed with speculation about whether they got their eyes and nose from mom or dad, but researchers say it may be possible for children to inherit their parents’ moral characteristics, as well. Continue reading “Some personal beliefs and morals may stem from genetics”