Sarah Zhang
What Mormon Family Trees Tell Us About Cancer
By searching the church's famed family trees, scientists have tracked down a cancer-causing mutation that came west with a pioneer couple—just in time to save the lives of their great-great-great-great grandchildren.
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Brian Snyder / Reuters What Happens When You’re Convinced You Have Bad Genes
DNA tests can have a placebo effect.
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Guislain / Internet Archive Showering Has a Dark, Violent History
In the 19th century, cold rinses and days-long baths became a way to treat—and control—psychiatric patients.
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Karl-Göran Sjögren An Ancient Case of the Plague Could Rewrite History
A 4,900-year-old skeleton has turned the accepted story of the disease on its head.
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Stephanie Rabemiafara / Art in All of Us ... 300 Million Letters of DNA Are Missing From the Human Genome
The world’s most famous genetic tool has a major diversity problem.
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Mark Schiefelbein / AP Chinese Scientists Are Outraged by Reports of Gene-Edited Babies
Researchers fear that the controversial study will be a stain on China’s scientific reputation.
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Vitoony35 / Shutterstock What Vets Think of ‘23andMe for Dogs’
More and more companies are selling DNA-test kits for pets.
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Tami Chappell How a Landlocked Aquarium Gets Its Seawater
In the 1930s, saltwater was shipped by rail. Since then, things have gotten more high-tech.
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You Should Be Worried About Your DNA Privacy
The increasing popularity of genetic tests poses concerns about the accessibility of personal information.
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Prostock-studio / Shutterstock / The Atlantic Facebook Groups as Therapy
People are sharing their deepest secrets on Facebook. Does the social network understand what it’s gotten into?
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Daniel Ramos Gonzalez Cities Are Turning Snails Yellow
Urban areas are heat islands. Could that be dictating the color of their gastropods?
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Brian Snyder / Reuters The First DNA Test as Political Stunt
“Who cares,” the president said about Senator Elizabeth Warren’s results.
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Work of Shelby Hall / Getty When a DNA Test Reveals Your Daughter Is Not Your Biological Child
A father reflects on an experience that is becoming more common.
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George Frey / Reuters Most People of European Ancestry Can Be Identified From a Relative’s DNA
Even people who have never taken a genetic test can be tracked down like the Golden State Killer suspect.
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Claire Scully The Viruses That Neanderthals Spread to Humans
The two ancient hominin groups swapped genes, diseases, and genes that protect against diseases, according to a new study.
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Rogelio V. Solis / AP How Easy Is It to Make Ricin?
Two letters addressed to the Pentagon tested positive for the toxin, which is made from readily available ingredients.
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AVN Photo Lab / Shutterstock Cats Are No Match for New York City’s Rats
Despite popular wisdom, rats are too big and too fierce for cats.
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Reuters Christine Blasey Ford Is Her Own Expert Witness
In testifying about her alleged sexual assault, she used her expertise as a psychologist who understands trauma.
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smartboy10 / Getty Your DNA Is Not Your Culture
A Spotify playlist tailored to your DNA is the latest example of brands cashing in on people’s search for identity.
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Karl Tapales / Getty No One Knows Exactly What Would Happen If Mosquitoes Were to Disappear
A four-year experiment sets out to study the ecological consequences of a bold scheme to end malaria.
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Gregory Adams / Getty A Man Says His DNA Test Proves He’s Black, and He’s Suing
A case in Washington questions how the government defines race.
