It is well known that individuals with a particular version of human leukocyte antigen have an increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis, but there has been growing interest in the role of environmental pollutants. In a new mouse study, researchers probed the relationship between the two.

The human spleen can release oxygenated blood cells to allow more time underwater without breathing. A new study has identified that the "Sea Nomad" Bajau people of Indonesia have evolved larger spleens that would allow them to remain underwater for longer.

Life in the city is a double-edged sword for bumblebees. Subtle differences in their genome show how these important insects have adapted to the food-rich but fragmented city habitat.

Scientists study link between chronotype and death, and find night owls are at greater risk of health complications and earlier death.

New research sheds light on neuronal communication and adds more detail to the current picture of brain cell communication at the synapse, and the role of the messenger molecule nitric oxide.

Antibiotic resistance is a serious health problem, causing illnesses that were once easily treatable with antibiotics to morph into dangerous infections, leading to serious disability or even death. To help fight this growing threat, diagnostics companies are developing new tools and techniques that are playing a crucial role in quickly identifying infectious organisms and preventing the inappropriate use of antibiotics.

The Nobel Prize winning polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique revolutionized molecular biology on its invention in 1986 and it has done the same for medical diagnostics over the last 15 years. Being able to copy and multiply specific target DNA molecules has opened the door to diagnosing diseases across multiple areas quickly, accurately, and as time progresses at lower cost.

At the intersection of electronics and biology, the field of DNA data storage aims to develop tools that might enable us to store vast amounts of data in an incredibly safe way: on genetic code. We discussed the field with Twist Bioscience's CEO and co-founder, Emily Leproust.

Used in myriad applications and showered with praise by researchers, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are hailed as a "wonder material" for materials science. This lofty position may be jeopardized by a new study that shows CNTs can induce the fatal cancer mesothelioma in the same way as asbestos.