Genes Determine Mate Choice, At Least For Fat Tailed Dwarf Lemurs:
How do we choose our mates? For quite some time now, scientists suspect that it is not for looks or fashion, neither for love or sympathy. It may be the genes that determine our preference for certain males or females. A new study provides support for this idea by looking at lemurs in Madagascar.
Beyond A 'Speed Limit' On Mutations, Species Risk Extinction:
Harvard University scientists have identified a virtual "speed limit" on the rate of molecular evolution in organisms, and the magic number appears to be 6 mutations per genome per generation -- a level beyond which species run the strong risk of extinction as their genomes lose stability.
Genetic Differences In Clover Make One Type Toxic:
That clover necklace you make for your child could well be a ring of poison. That's because some clovers have evolved genes that help the plant produce cyanide -- to protect itself against little herbivores, such as snails, slugs and voles, that eat clover. Other clover plants that do not make cyanide are found in climates with colder temperatures. So, in picking your poison, er, clover, ecology and geography play important roles.
Spouses Often Mirror Each Other's Health Habits:
If one spouse exercises, quits smoking, stops drinking alcohol, receives a flu shot, or undergoes a cholesterol screening, the other spouse is more likely to do the same, according to a new study in Health Services Research.
Galapagos Hawk's Evolutionary History Illuminated:
Scientists at the University of Missouri-St. Louis used DNA sequences from feather lice to study how island populations of their host, the Galápagos Hawk might have colonized the Galápagos islands, home to the endangered and declining raptor.
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