Human variation

Studies of genetic differences between people and populations can shed light on what makes us individual and on the history and evolution of humans as a species.

News


	Researchers make first direct measurement of human genetic mutation rate Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and colleagues have made the first direct measurement of the general rate of genetic mutation in humans. 01/09/09

	Study finds genetic link to optimism The tendency to see the glass as half full or half empty may be determined by your genes, according to research funded by the Wellcome Trust. 02/03/09

	First genetic clues to synaesthesia revealed Trust-funded researchers have found the first genetic regions with links to synaesthesia, the brain condition that leads some people to see sounds and hear written words. 17/02/09

	Link between Y chromosome and surnames sheds light on family histories Our surnames and genetic information are often strongly connected, according to a study funded by the Wellcome Trust. 11/02/09

	Genetic variants link obesity to behaviour Researchers have identified new genetic variants associated with obesity that are active in the brain - suggesting that many genetic variants implicated in obesity are not involved in storing and using fat, but are affecting our behaviour. 17/12/08

	KCL research uncovers bald facts of hair loss Investigators from King's College London and international colleagues have identified two genetic variants that, when present together, increase the risk of baldness seven fold. 14/10/08

	New research adds to growing body of knowledge of genetics of height Scientists are beginning to develop a clearer picture of what makes people stand head and shoulders above the rest. 07/04/08

	Chromosomes and castles Researchers studying Y chromosomes uncover the genetic impact of historical migrations into Lebanon. 27/03/08

	High and mighty: First common height gene identified Research partly funded by the Wellcome Trust has identified the first gene shown to influence directly a person's height. 02/09/07

	Twin genetics: Similar siblings The strange case of semi-identical twins. 09/08/07

	Clear genetic link to obesity found People with two copies of a particular gene variant have a 70 per cent higher risk of being obese that those with no copies. 13/04/07

	PERIOD3's effects on coping with lack of sleep Individual differences in the PERIOD3 clock gene predict decline of performance during sleeo deprivation. 08/03/07

	Early Europeans unable to stomach milk Five thousand years ago, Europeans did not have the gene that controls our ability to digest milk. 26/02/07

	First genetic evidence of long-lived African presence within Britain Research has identified the first genetic evidence of Africans having lived among 'indigenous' British people for centuries. 24/01/07

	The lactase gene in Africa: Do you take milk? Convergent evolution in human populations is revealed by the recent discovery in East Africa of new variants of the lactase gene. 20/01/07

	Religious following: The Y chromosome in India Research has revealed that the spread of Islam in southern India was down more to culture than to genes. 01/12/06

	Sex and drugs and dopamine receptors The DRD4 dopamine receptor is turning up in a range of human behaviours, from novelty-seeking to sexual drive. 09/10/06

	Why some people dislike broccoli A receptor gene's variation suggests an evolutionary excuse for our dislike of some vegetables. 18/09/06

	Dancing gene Is dancing ability down to your genes? 09/06/06

	100 000-year-old DNA sequence allows new look at Neandertal's genetic diversity By recovering sequencing-intact DNA from an especially ancient Neandertal specimen, researchers have found evidence suggesting that the genetic diversity among Neandertals was higher than previously thought. 07/06/06

	Separate genetic mutations gave humans and chimps bitter-taste sensitivity How humans and chimpanzees gained the ability to taste a bitter synthetic compound called PTC. 13/04/06

	Losing gene activity can be good for your health The caspase-12 gene may have been inactivated in the human population because the active gene can lead to poorer response to bacterial infection. 09/03/06

	Manchu Y chromosomes An unusually frequent lineage of Y chromosomes in northern China and Mongolia has been linked to the Manchu conquest of China and the Qing dynasty. 12/01/06

	Fish gene sheds light on human skin color variation With help from a common aquarium pet - the zebrafish - and the HapMap online database of human genetic variation, researchers have found an important human skin colour gene. 15/12/05

	'Perception' gene tracked humanity's evolution A gene thought to influence perception and susceptibility to drug dependence is expressed more readily in humans than in other primates, a difference that may coincide with the evolution of our species. 15/11/05

	Human genetics: Redhead receptor People have red hair because they possess a variant melanocortin-1 receptor gene. This also affects their sensitivity to pain and pain relief. 05/08/05

	Mitochondrial DNA provides a link between Polynesians and indigenous Taiwanese Mitochondrial DNA from nine Taiwanese tribes reveals a genetic link between aboriginal Taiwanese and Polynesian populations, to the exclusion of mainland Asians. 05/07/05

	'Junk DNA' shapes social behaviour Why are some people shy while others are outgoing? Variations in human DNA may hold the key. 09/06/05

	The cryptic past of Madagascar Study finds that the human inhabitants of Madagascar are genetically unique. 04/05/05

	Mammoths maketh man Did northeast Asian populations eat well 30 000 years ago? 21/04/04

	Why do taste and smell differ among individuals? Some genes for the nose's odour-detecting receptors found to be 'optional'. 20/08/03

	The serotonin transporter gene and binge drinking Students with particular genetic variant consume more alcohol. 18/08/03

	Smoking, drinking and drug-taking could be 'in the genes' Genetic differences may be related to attitudes to health or susceptibility to addiction. 17/06/03

	Father's genes and lengthy pregnancies Research from Denmark shows that a father's genes can increase the risk of a lengthy pregnancy by 30 per cent. 05/05/03

	Genes may be main culprit in myopia Study indicates that heredity is a primary cause of short-sightedness. 25/02/03

	Genetics of fear? A new study examines a genetic variant of serotonin transporter and the brain's response to 'fearful stimuli'. 19/07/02